Balsam in the Mediaeval Mediterranean: A Case Study of Information and Commodity Exchange

Milwright, Marcus

doi:10.1558/jmea.v14i1.3

Cited by 9 publications

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“…balsam and myrrh. 114 It appears that the best and most cherished perfume that was substituted by balsam was camphor. The only country to which this plant has been vouchsafed is Judaea" (XII 111).…”

Section: Perfumes That Lost Their Importancementioning

confidence: 99%

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Trends in the Use of Perfumes and Incense in the Near East after the Muslim Conquests

Amar

Lev²

2013

J.R. Asiat. Soc. G.B. Irel.

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Perfumes have been known as utilizable but exclusive products since antiquity. Use of aromatic substances was first mentioned in archaic sources of the ancient world. The origin of such fragrant substances was mainly vegetable and animal. Throughout history, the use of subtle perfumes increased and some of the exotic materials became expensive and valuable commodities. They were the source of wealth for cultures and rulers. The contribution of the Arabs to the distribution of new crops, knowledge, industrial techniques and substances is a well-known phenomenon. In our article we intend to focus on the new perfumes that were distributed throughout the world thanks to the Arab conquests and the knowledge of their other uses, mainly medicinal, that was handed down along with the products themselves. About 20 common perfumes are known to have been used in the medieval world, though half of them were not mentioned in earlier sources.These phenomena will be dealt with and presented in a profile we built up for four perfumes: agarwood, camphor, musk and ambergris. The theoretical and practical uses of these perfumes that are presented in detail (based on various sources including traders' documents, medical literature and practical Genizah fragments, dealing mainly with medicine) will serve as case studies for the understanding of new trends in the uses of perfumes after the Muslim conquest. Arab perfumes can be divided into three groups, according to their level of importance:A. New perfumes, mainly from the vast region named "India"; most of which (such as camphor, ambergris and sandalwood and a compound made out of them known as nadd and ghāliya) were not known in the Middle East and the Mediterranean region until the Muslim conquests.B. Perfumes that kept their popularity including: a variety of cinnamon, costus, spikenard, frankincense, saffron and rose.C. Perfumes that lost their worth like balsam and myrrh.It seems that camphor was the best and most cherished perfume that substituted balsam. Like balsam, the importance of myrrh that was imported from Arabia and East Africa also declined and it seems that its substitute was musk. Transformations in perfume fashion were in fact only part of a wider revolution of the Arabic material culture which the Middle East, the Mediterranean region and even many European countries experienced due to the Arab conquests.

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Section: Perfumes That Lost Their Importancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…113 Therefore, we can treat the information regarding its cultivation and production at the king's garden in Cairo as a fictional anecdote. 114 It appears that the best and most cherished perfume that was substituted by balsam was camphor. Ibn Juljul explicitly writes that it was the medical alternative of balsam.…”

Section: Perfumes That Lost Their Importancementioning

confidence: 99%

Trends in the Use of Perfumes and Incense in the Near East after the Muslim Conquests

Amar

Lev²

2013

J.R. Asiat. Soc. G.B. Irel.

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“…The 'cultural' tools of the Islamic institutions were religion and language, tools aiding the process of institutional diffusion. It may be noted though, that while Arabic was widely used in the Middle East, it was not spoken in the North East and central 140) Heidemann, 2006. Milwright, 2001 Compare Snooks, 1995 for the 11th-century English economy.…”

Section: The Borrowing Of Institutionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Economic Performance and Economic Growth in the Early Islamic World

Shatzmiller¹

2011

J Econ Soc Hist Orient

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The author argues that in the case of Islamic history, the growing interest in the economic theory of institutions and their role in economic growth has shifted the scholarly methodology from empirically based research, to theoretical models which favoured sweeping generalizations about the negative roles of the Islamic state and legal institution. Shatzmiller's examinations of the role of Islamic institutions in periods of economic growth show that economic growth was visible in the key indicators of the Caliphate's economy between ca. 750 and ca. 1100. The conclusion is that there was nothing intrinsic to Islamic institutions that impaired economic growth. RésuméUn intérêt grandissant pour la théorie économique des institutions et pour le rôle de ces dernières dans la croissance économique a récemment modifié la méthodologie des historiens spécialistes de l'Islam. Les recherches empiriques ont été de plus en plus délaissées au profit de modèles théoriques favorisant les généralisations à l'emporte-pièce sur le rôle négatif joué par l'État islamique et les institutions juridiques. Examinant le rôle des institutions islamiques en période de croissance, Shatzmiller montre que les indicateurs clés de l'économie califale témoignent d'une croissance économique entre 750 et 1100 environ. Il faut en conclure que rien dans les institutions islamiques n'entravait intrinsèquement la croissance économique.

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“…Commiphoraglieadensis) is a member of large and commonly utilized plant family known as "Burseraceae", which is a resinous family comprising, among others, the biblical frankincense and myrrh. C. opobalsamum has a distinctive and famous odour and it is known in the society as "Al-besham", "Balsam", "Balessan" and "Balsam of Mecca" (Miller and Morris, 1988;Williamson et al, 1996;Wood, 1997;Milwright, 2001;Milwright, 2003;Gupta et al, 2006;Iluz et al, 2010;Amiel et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They utilize its twigs for tooth brushing, and they make tea from its leaves as well as they eat its fruits. C. opobalsamum was used to treat the disease of chest, gastrointestinal tract, kidney, and to offer symptomatic relief in rheumatism (Milwright, 2001;Milwright, 2003;Sultana and Saeed, 2012). In addition, it is also used in case of common colds, in the treatment of ear aches, and the application of desiccated bark on wounds to act as an antiseptic, whereas ground balsam bark in its tincture form is utilized for the treatment of skin disorders like eczema and inflammation, additionally it is accredited for impressive relief of labor pains (Abdul-Ghani and Amin, 1997;Gupta et al, 2006;Sultana and Saeed, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparative study of analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Commiphora opobalsamum with diclofenac in rodents

Al-Salmi¹,

Sattar²,

Khan³

et al. 2015

Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.

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This study aims to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Commiphora opobalsamum in rodents in comparison with diclofenac, and its ability to enhance the activity of diclofenac in reduced doses. Wister rats or Swiss mice (5 groups/ 6 each) were administered methalonic extract of C. opobalsamum, saline and diclofenac 30 min before the test initiation by i.p. route. The analgesic activities were examined utilizing the acetic acid, hot plate and formalin paw lick techniques. The anti-inflammatory efficacy was examined by utilizing the granuloma induced by cotton pelletand paw edema induced by carrageenan C. opobalsamum demonstrated a stronger inhibition of writhing compared to diclofenac, and the 500 mg/kg dose completely inhibited the writhing response. In hot plate, C. opobalsamum co-administrated with diclofenac exhibited significant prolongation of reaction time compared to diclofenac alone. Furthermore, C. opobalsamum (500 mg/kg) significantly shortens the licking time compared to diclofenac at both phases. In addition, the suppression of paw edema induced by carrageenan was significant in comparison to diclofenac at first hour. Interestingly, significant weight reduction of granuloma tissue was perceived at all doses of C. opobalsamum in contrast to control group. This study provides a strong evidence of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity of extract of C. opobalsamum, additionally it has revealed significant anti-inflammatory effect, equivalent to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Moreover, the combination of reduced doses of C. opobalsamum and diclofenac with resultant synergistic potentiation of both analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect, necessitates a cautious approach to elucidate its mechanism with the concomitant meticulous study of its safety profile.

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Balsam in the Mediaeval Mediterranean: A Case Study of Information and Commodity Exchange

Cited by 9 publications

References 0 publications

Trends in the Use of Perfumes and Incense in the Near East after the Muslim Conquests

Trends in the Use of Perfumes and Incense in the Near East after the Muslim Conquests

Economic Performance and Economic Growth in the Early Islamic World

Comparative study of analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Commiphora opobalsamum with diclofenac in rodents

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