Plant sap

Plant saps rank among the oldest fragrance ingredients, with documented use in Mesopotamia and Egypt dating back over 4,000 years. Frankincense and myrrh dominated ancient trade routes across the Arabian Peninsula, valued as highly as precious metals. The Egyptians used aromatic saps in religious rituals, cosmetics, and medicine. Greek and Roman perfumers incorporated these materials into their unguents and incense blends. Medieval Arabian physicians like Ibn al-Baitar catalogued their therapeutic properties. The Renaissance revived sap-based perfumery in European courts, where myrrh and benzoin scented gloves and pomanders. By the 19th century, perfumers in Grasse began systematically studying these materials, isolating key compounds like boswellic acids from frankincense. Today, sustainable harvesting of wild and cultivated Boswellia species remains critical as wild populations face pressure from overharvesting and climate change.