Secrets of the Frankincense Trail

Frankincense was internationally traded 1,000 years before the last woolly mammoths went extinct, and has been coveted globally ever since. Yet even in Oman—the center of the Arabian frankincense trade—the trees and harvesters who tap them remain under a veil of mystery.

I began working in Oman in 2022, conducting conservation surveys of the frankincense trees there and beginning to explore how the resins are collected. In the years since, the one place I’ve been unable to properly survey is the interior of Jebel Samhan—the largest of three ranges that make up the Dhofar mountains. Our habitat modeling suggests this is the most important place for Boswellia trees in Oman ecologically, and it is the cultural epicenter of frankincense harvesting: the source of the legendary Hojary resin.

Since the 1970’s, the harvesting and production system has been changing, as younger Omanis seek work in more lucrative sectors like oil and gas, and contracted migrant workers increasingly take over responsibility for production and sorting. Simultaneously, frankincense trees have become increasingly threatened worldwide—highlighting the importance of understanding the sanctuaries where they still exist.

Secrets of the Frankincense Trail will explore these evolving ecological and social dynamics in the mountains and throughout the supply chain for these unique resins. We will cross the Jebel Samhan mountains on foot, in order to examine the trees up close, and speak with the harvesters, landowners, traders, and resource managers who drive environmental management in the mountains. At the same time, we will film a feature length documentary: on the plants, people, and practices that make the frankincense trade possible.

The expedition will take place in 2027.