Myrrh

==Religious ritual==

===In Ancient Egypt and Punt (Horn of Africa)===
The fifth-dynasty ruler of Egypt, [[Sahure|King Sahure]], recorded the earliest attested expedition to the [[land of Punt]], the modern day [[Horn of Africa]] (particularly [[Somalia]]), whose members brought back large quantities of myrrh, [[frankincense]], [[malachite]] and [[electrum]]. The expedition also brought back wild animals (particularly [[cheetahs]]), a secretary bird (''[[Sagittarius serpentarius]]''), [[giraffes]] and [[Hamadryas baboon|Hamadryas]] baboons (which were sacred to the [[Ancient Egyptians]]), [[ebony]], [[ivory]] and animal skins. In a relief from his mortuary temple celebrating the success of this expedition, Sahure is shown tending a myrrh tree in the garden of his palace. The relief, entitled "''Sahure's splendor soars up to heaven''", is the only one in Egyptian art that depicts a king gardening.<ref>S.Wachsmann, (2008) "Seagoing Ships & Seamanship in the Bronze Age Levant" - Page 19</ref> Myrrh was used by the ancient Egyptians, along with [[natron]], for the embalming of mummies.<ref>Fritze, Ronald H. "New worlds: The great voyages of discovery 1400-1600". Sutton Publishing Limited, 2002, p. 25.</ref>

===In the Hebrew Bible===
[[File:MyrrhEssentialOil.png|thumb|upright|alt=Glass vial containing oil|An essential oil extracted from myrrh (''Commiphora myrrha'')]]

Myrrh is mentioned as a rare perfume in several places in the [[Hebrew Bible]]. In {{bibleverse||Genesis|37:25|NIV}}, the traders to whom [[Jacob]]'s sons sold their brother [[Joseph (biblical)|Joseph]] had "[[camel]]s ... loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh," and {{bibleverse||Exodus|30:23-25|NIV}} specifies that Moses was to use 500 [[shekel]]s of liquid myrrh as a core ingredient of the sacred anointing oil.

Myrrh was an ingredient of ''[[Incense offering in rabbinic literature|Ketoret]]:'' the consecrated [[incense]] used in the [[Solomon's Temple|First]] and [[Second Temple]]s at [[Jerusalem]], as described in the [[Hebrew Bible]] and [[Talmud]]. An offering was made of the ''Ketoret'' on a special incense altar and was an important component of the [[Temple in Jerusalem|temple service]]. Myrrh is also listed as an ingredient in the [[holy anointing oil]] used to anoint the [[tabernacle]], high priests and kings.

Oil of myrrh is used in {{bibleverse||Esther|2:12|KJV}} in a purification ritual for the new queen to King [[Ahasuerus]]:

{{Quote|Now when every maid's turn was come to go in to king Ahasuerus, after that she had been twelve months, according to the manner of the women, (for so were the days of their purifications accomplished, to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and with other things for the purifying of the women).}}

===In ancient Nabataea===
Myrrh was recorded in the first century BC by [[Diodorus Siculus]] to have been traded overland and by sea via [[Nabateans|Nabatean]] [[Caravan (travellers)|caravans]] and sea ports, which transported it from Southern Arabia to their capital city of [[Petra]], from which it was distributed throughout the Mediterranean region.<ref>J. W. Eadie, J. P. Oleson (1986) "The Water-Supply Systems of Nabatean and Roman Ḥumayma", ''Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research''</ref>

===In the New Testament===
Myrrh is mentioned in the [[New Testament]] as one of the three gifts (with [[gold]] and [[frankincense]]) that the [[Biblical Magi|magi]] "from the East" presented to the [[Child Jesus|Christ Child]] ({{Bibleverse||Matthew|2:11}}). Myrrh was also present at Jesus' death and burial. Jesus was offered wine and myrrh at his crucifixion ({{Bibleverse||Mark|15:23}}). According to [[John's Gospel]], [[Nicodemus]] and [[Joseph of Arimathea]] brought a 100-pound mixture of myrrh and aloes to wrap Jesus' body ({{Bibleverse||John|19:39}}). The [[Gospel of Matthew]] relates that as Jesus went to the cross, he was given vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink (Matthew 27:34); the [[Gospel of Mark]] describes the drink as wine mingled with myrrh (Mark 15:23).

===In contemporary Christianity===
Because of its mention in the New Testament, myrrh is an [[incense]] offered during some Christian [[Christian liturgy|liturgical celebrations]] (see [[Thurible]]). Liquid myrrh is sometimes added to [[egg tempera]] in the making of [[icon]]s. Myrrh is mixed with [[frankincense]] and sometimes more scents and is used in the [[Eastern Orthodox]], [[Oriental Orthodox]], traditional [[Roman Catholic]], and [[Anglican]]/[[Anglican Communion|Episcopal]] churches.

Myrrh is also used to prepare the sacramental [[chrism]] used by many churches of both Eastern and Western rites. In the Middle East, the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]] traditionally uses oil scented with myrrh (and other fragrances) to perform the [[sacrament]] of [[Eastern Orthodoxy#Chrismation|chrismation]], which is commonly referred to as "receiving the [[Holy anointing oil|Chrism]]".

===In Islam===
According to the hadith of [[Muhammad]], narrated by [[Abu Nuaim]] on the authority of Abban bin Saleh bin Anas, Muhammad said, "Fumigate your houses with mugwort, myrrh and thyme." (''Kanz-ul-Ummal'').<ref>[http://tibbenabawi.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=260&Itemid=286 Myrrh ~ مر مكي]</ref> The ''Encyclopedia of Islamic Herbal Medicine'' mentions the same hadith: "The Messenger of Allah stated, 'Fumigate your houses with al-shih, murr, and sa'tar.'" The author states that this use of the word "murr" refers specifically to ''Commiphora myrrha''.<ref>Morrow, Joh A. "Encyclopedia of Islamic Herbal Medicine". Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2011, p. 145.</ref> The other two are Al-Shih (possibly [[mugwort]]) and Sa'tar (or ''Za'atar'' - [[thyme]]).