#DoYouKnow Scents of Arabia The craft of perfumery is an essential part of Muslim culture. Arabian perfumes have long been alluring the world with their distinct fragrances and are now synonymous with ancient heritage as well as fine luxury. Rakaan, Nashwa, Roohi Fedak, Attar Al Kaaba, Haneen and Alif Laila O Laila. If you are wondering if these are tales from One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, then no, they are the names of Arabian perfumes. With a history spanning more than 5,000 years, Arabian perfumes are steeped in exotic and local traditions. Take a walk down any of the Middle Eastern souks, be it the Khan Al Khalili street in Cairo, the Sikkat Al Khalili street in Dubai or the Frankincense trail in Dhofar and Salalah in Oman, it will surely be one smelly affair that you won’t forget anytime soon. Frankincense, an aromatic resin, is the main ingredient in making all Arabic perfumes. It grows on small trees and shrubs in Salalah in Oman and Somalia in Africa. Long ago in ancient Arabia, Frankincense was traded for the world’s priciest items. On the Silk Route, Arab merchants loaded this magical ingredient on camel caravans to cross the desert, navigated by stars, on a secret route wading through oases and hiding from robbers. On their way, they bartered perfumes for Bahraini pearls, horses and teakwood from India, Chinese Silks and porcelain and gold from royal courts of the Roman Empire. The base in traditional Arabian perfumes is jasmine, amber, musk and oud. The common fragrance for men is Dhan al Ward or rose flower oil. In the Middle-East the best of roses are found in the Valley of Taif in Saudi Arabia. Since the Ottoman Times, cultivation of the damask rose, a 30-petalled flower has taken place in Taif. Taifi is used in the finest Arabian perfumes for men. The two popular types of Arabic perfumes are Oud and Bukhoor, apart from attars and pure natural oils. Oud is naturally fragranced wood that can be used on the skin or burnt to let the smoke spread a smell in the house or on your clothes. Bukhoor is a mixture of different fragrances which comes in round pieces that is burned in houses and shopping malls throughout the Middle East
Posted on: Sun, 12 Oct 2014 08:10:09 +0000
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