Incense in Ancient Greece
I looove incense so I really wanted to have a look at what the ancients used. Incense comes in a wide variety of resins, woods and dried herbs so here is an overview of what one may have encountered knowing that this list is not exhaustive.
The same way that meat was burnt so that the aroma could be offered to the divine, good smelling substances in the form of incense were offered to please the gods and were part of the rituals.
“The virtues associated to the scents are multiple: pleasure, protection, purification, communication. (…) the pleasant and often artificial scent of the rite helps to make the perception of the divine more present and noticeable, the ‘’similar is attracted by the similar’’.’’
Veronique Mehl, pdf in sources, translated by me
It is complicated to trace the scents that were used due to them not being recorded or not being able to be archaeologically found (unlike votive offerings or animal sacrifices), especially in the case of more ordinary rituals. Very often they only call it ‘‘incense’‘ or simply refer to the act of burning, but we don’t know exactly what product they refer to.
I showed when a specific substance was indicated for a specific deity (such as in the Orphic hymns or with sacred plants), but that does not mean that you can’t offer them to other deities ! People of that time were likely to use whatever they had readily available, as long as it smelled good and seemed pleasing to the gods, so don’t feel constrained by that. Try out different things and see what feels logical to your practice or what you like to use.
Laurel Leaves - Famously used at Delphi in relation to the oracle of Apollon. The leaves were chewed and burnt as an offering and to facilitate visions. Sacred to Apollo, as seen in the myth of Daphne (the greek name of laurel is daphnai), but also as a sign of victory as the god received a wreath after killing Python. The laurel is also seen as having purifying properties. In Thessalia it is also connected to Dionysos and menadism as they were said to chew on the leaves. Also connected to Asclepios. Ovid also tells us that they were burnt on altar even before resins such as myrrh were used.
Saffron - Called krokos, it wasn’t only used to dye clothes, as a pharmaceutical substance or as a fragrance but also as a burnt offering, dating back to the Minoan/Mycenaean period. It was a very pricey item due to the complexity of obtaining it. Seems particularly good to offer to Hecate as seen in the Orphic Hymn and because of the color of her robe described as saffron. Also the crocus is said to be sacred to Hermes, and there is a connection to Demeter (mentioned in her Homeric hymn) and Apollo (solar). On top of that it is connected in the Orphic Hymns to Aither.
Barley - The seeds were thrown in fire in an act of purification and probably for the sensorial experience as well. Example of such act can be found in the Odyssey, when Nestor sacrifices a cow to Athena and burns barley as part of the ritual.
Oak Leaves - Again in the Odyssey, Odysseus crew burns oak leaves on Helios Island when sacrificing his cows, showing us that those were ritually burnt and could be part of an offering. Oak tree is sacred to Zeus
Myrtle - From the plant Myrtus communis. Associated mainly with Aphrodite, but also with Artemis, Dionysos and Hades and even Demeter. Garlands and wreaths were made of this and used in rituals. The leaves can be burnt as an incense.
Pine Needles - Similar idea than with oak leaves, pine needles can be burnt for their pleasant smell.
Mugwort - Called Artemisia vulgaris, it takes its name from the goddess Artemis and would thus make a particularly fitting offering for the goddess.
Sage - Called elelisphakos, it was seen as a universal remedy, seen as a tonic and a cure, and used in funerary and magical rites, as well as offered to deities. In a myth, it is said that Zeus was raised by the goat Amalthea near a sage bush.
Rosemary - Associated with funerary rites, its ever green color making it a symbol of immortality, it was also used for wreaths. Purifying properties when burnt.
Olive - Very important plant for the ancients, a cornerstone of their diets, statues of divinities were also made from its wood. The leaves were also burnt ritually. Sacred to Athena.
Rose Petals - Closely associated with Aphrodite, it appears in the story of Adonis as well as in the Iliad when the goddess protects the body of Hector with rose oil. Its petal can be burnt to release a fragrant scent.
Lavender - Its association to sleep makes it a good choice for Hermes and Hypnos.
Chamomile - From the greek khamaimēlon, meaning earth apple, it was widely used as a tea but makes for a good incense. It has a connection to solar entities.
Violet - It appears many times in myths, sacred to Aphrodite for its sensual scent and who is connected to the birth of the flower, but also to Priapus, Iamus (son of Apollo), Orpheus, Persephone who was plucking flowers before being captured by Hades, and a symbol of the city of Athens (violet-crowned city).
Myrtle - Sacred to Aphrodite and Demeter but also to Iacchos.
Storax/Styrax - quoted multiple times in the Orphic Hymns, it’s a resin that comes from the plant Styrax Officinalis. It seems though that this resin is no longer available as the tree doesn’t produce it. Nowadays what we find as storax is a black bark often reduced in a powder.
[43] XLIII. TO SEMELE
The Fumigation from Storax (…)
Indicating that burning storax as an offering while reading the hymn is suitable. Also recommended for Kronos, Zeus, Proteus, Dinoysos, Demeter, Misa, Ippa, Hermes and the Graces.
Benzoin - decided to make it separated from the Styrax category for more clarity but it is indeed the same incense ! Benzoin is the name of a wide variety of resins such as Styrax Benzoin or Styrax Tonkinonsis, and as you can tell from the name, it comes from the same variety of the plant, Styrax Officinalis just being the Mediterranean version, and since the later is not available you can use any type of benzoin as a good alternative.
Frankincense - Coming from the Boswellia family, also called olibanum, this is one of the most widely used incense, often used in rituals and sacrifices, and one that is said to be suitable for all the gods. It appears many times in many instances. For example, Pytthagoras is said to have offered it Apollo. There is also the myth of Ovid where Helios turned into the body of his dead lover into the frankincense tree.
In the Orphic Hymns, it also appears numerous times and is recommended for Ouranos, Herakles, Zeus, Thethys, Hermes, the Titans, Kouretes, Dionysos, Dike, Dikaiosune, Ares, Hephaistos, Tykhe, the Daimones, the Muses, Mnemosyne, Themis, Boreas, Zephyros and Notos.
And if one assumes that Manna is frankincense, then the hymns connect it to: the Furies, Apollo, Artemis, Asclepios, Helio, Ios, Hephaistos, Dionysos, Nike, Silenos, Thalassa, Thanatos, Hygeia and Zeus. It might not be the same though, but it is hard to know what they referred to.
Myyrh - From the desert plant Commiphora myrrha. Another very widely used incense in ancient Greece that appealed for its beautiful scent.
It is mentioned multiple times in the Orphic Hymns, to Protogonos, Poseidon, Nephelai, Leto and Nereus.
Ladanum/Laudanum/Labdanum - Extracted from Cistus Ladanifer shrubs, dating as far as the Minoan period.
Opium - Harvested from the poppy pods, the Orphic Hymn links it to the veneration of Hypnos. The poppy is also sacred to Demeter.
Sandalwood - with the conquests of Alexander the Great, sandalwood made its way into the panoply of substances the Greeks used to diffuse precious scents.
Cedarwood - Sacred to Artemis, this wood produces a wonderful scent and one I like to use often.
Cinnamon - from this plant, the bark is most commonly used and it was used as an offering. A mention of this is found when Seleucus I sends various offerings to the sanctuary to Apollon Philesios in Didymes. It doesn’t exactly says wheter cinnamon should be burnt or not but either way, you can offer its scent.
Also I already mentioned them earlier but oak wood and olive wood are also common.
Resources: theoi.com (Orphic Hymns); Of Incense and Beans elusive plants in the Greek religion; Books of Dante (french, I used different posts as he has one for many many plants); Olfactive and festive atmosphere of the Greek sanctuary: the smell of the divine (french).
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