Incense, material, usually consisting of aromatic gums and spices, that produces a fragrant smoke when burned. The term is also used to describe the fragrant smoke itself. The ingredients are usually frankincense, storax, benzoin, and cascarilla bark, combined in various proportions. Other substances often used in incense include balsam, cinnamon, myrrh, sandalwood, and musk. The burning of incense has been a feature of sacrificial religious ceremonies since ancient times. It is mentioned on an inscribed tablet that was placed on the Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, in about 1530 bc. Incense was used in the early Jewish religion and, later, by the Romans, both in religious ceremonies and on state occasions.
Incense is widely used in most Oriental religions and in the ceremonies of the Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Churches.
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