Myrrh is frankincense’s dark twin: same family, same landscapes, same trade routes, opposite character. Where frankincense is bright and clean, myrrh is bitter, warm and deep. The word itself comes from a Semitic root meaning “bitter”.
Source
Commiphora myrrha is a thorny, small tree of the dry scrub of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya and Yemen. Like Boswellia it is in the Burseraceae. The gum resin exudes naturally from cracks in the bark and from cuts made by harvesters, hardening into irregular yellow to red-brown lumps. Related species contribute to the trade: C. guidottii gives opoponax, C. wightii the Indian guggul, and a number of lesser “bdellium” resins are sold under various names.
Appearance
Myrrh comes as irregular, often dusty lumps rather than clean tears, from pale yellow when fresh to deep reddish brown with age. The fracture is waxy and often shows white streaks. It is harder and less brittle than frankincense, and good myrrh is slightly oily to the touch.
Scent
Bitter, warm, dry, medicinal. A resinous body with an earthy, almost mushroom-like depth, a faint smokiness, and a whisper of sweetness at the edge. On the burner it is slow: it softens rather than bubbles, and its smoke is darker and heavier than frankincense. Alone it can be austere; paired with frankincense it gives the classic sacred-incense profile that half the world recognizes.
Chemistry
The essential oil (up to about 8 %) is dominated by furanosesquiterpenes, notably furanoeudesma-1,3-diene and lindestrene, which carry the characteristic bitter-medicinal note; plus curzerene and elemene. The gum fraction is large (30–60 %), so myrrh forms a milky suspension in water and burns less cleanly than pure resins. The bitterness is from the sesquiterpenes and resin acids.
History
Myrrh was among the most valuable commodities of the ancient world. Egypt imported it from Punt for embalming and temple incense; kyphi, the great Egyptian compound incense, contained it. The Hebrew Bible lists it in the holy anointing oil. Greek and Roman medicine used it as an antiseptic and for mouth and throat complaints, uses that persist in modern myrrh tinctures. Its role as one of the Magi’s gifts fixed it in Christian iconography as the incense of suffering and burial. See Kyphi.
Uses
Incense. Fundamental to church blends (typically with frankincense and benzoin), to Arabian bakhoor, and to many folk traditions. It is rarely burned alone in the West but often in the Horn of Africa. Use less than you think: its smoke is heavy.
Perfumery. Myrrh absolute and essential oil give a warm, bitter, resinous depth to orientals and incense perfumes. It pairs naturally with frankincense, labdanum, benzoin and rose.
Medicine. Tincture of myrrh is still in pharmacopoeias as a mouthwash and gargle for gum inflammation. The evidence base is modest but the tradition is continuous from antiquity.
Buying and burning
Buy lumps, not powder; check for a clean bitter smell without sourness. Dust and grit are common in low grades. On charcoal use a small piece on a mica plate or a layer of ash to moderate the heat, because direct contact scorches it. On an electric heater it releases its scent slowly and pleasantly for a long time. See How to burn resin incense.
Frequently asked questions
What does myrrh smell like?
Warm, bitter, medicinal and earthy, with a dry, slightly smoky, balsamic character and a faint mushroom-like depth. It is far less sweet than benzoin and far less bright than frankincense.
Why is myrrh associated with death and embalming?
The ancient Egyptians used it in embalming and it was a funerary incense across the Near East. Its bitterness and preservative properties made it a natural symbol of mourning and burial, which the Gospel story of the Magi's gifts picks up.
Is myrrh the same as sweet myrrh or opoponax?
No. Opoponax (sweet myrrh) is a related Commiphora species with a softer, sweeter, more balsamic scent. Common myrrh is more bitter and medicinal.
Sources & further reading
- myrrh
- commiphora
- incense
- resins
