Title: Myrrh - Wikipedia
Headings: Myrrh
Myrrh
Contents
Extraction and production
Etymology
Attributed medicinal properties
Medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Ayurvedic medicine
Religious ritual
In Ancient Egypt and Punt (Horn of Africa)
In the Hebrew Bible
In ancient Nabataea
In the New Testament
In contemporary Christianity
In Islam
Ancient myrrh
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Content: Contents
1 Extraction and production
2 Etymology
3 Attributed medicinal properties
3.1 Medicine
3.2 Traditional Chinese medicine
3.3 Ayurvedic medicine
4 Religious ritual
4.1 In Ancient Egypt and Punt (Horn of Africa)
4.2 In the Hebrew Bible
4.3 In ancient Nabataea
4.4 In the New Testament
4.5 In contemporary Christianity
4.6 In Islam
5 Ancient myrrh
6 See also
7 References
8 Further reading
9 External links
Extraction and production
Commiphora myrrha tree, one of the primary trees from which myrrh is harvested
When a wound on a tree penetrates through the bark and into the sapwood, the tree secretes a resin. Myrrh gum, like frankincense, is such a resin. Myrrh is harvested by repeatedly wounding the trees to bleed the gum, which is waxy and coagulates quickly. After the harvest, the gum becomes hard and glossy. The gum is yellowish and may be either clear or opaque. It darkens deeply as it ages, and white streaks emerge. Myrrh gum is commonly harvested from the species Commiphora myrrha. Another commonly used name, Commiphora molmol, is now considered a synonym of Commiphora myrrha. Commiphora myrrha is native to Somalia, Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, ( Somali Region of) Ethiopia and parts of Saudi Arabia. Meetiga, the trade-name of Arabian Myrrh, is more brittle and gummy than the Somali variety and does not have the latter's white markings.