Bakhoors: Middle-Eastern Odyssey

If you’ve ever visited a middle-eastern country, you may have gotten a whiff of a strong scent that is used as incense in almost every Arab household. This is called “bakhoor” or “bakhour” which are wood chips soaked in scented oils. 

We see the origin of bakhoor being traced back to the ancient Egyptian civilization. There is no exact evidence that they discovered it, but they were the ones responsible for popularising the usage of it as incense. While using it as a means to draw away bad smells, they also believed that using it served a holy purpose - to keep bad spirits away. They would bask in this smoke with the hope that their fate remained positive. It was not only a sign of luxury, but also to denote spirituality within the community. 

They used a myriad of different tree barks and scents to create several types of bakhoors, each having their unique way of burning and filling up an empty space with perfume. They didn’t restrict themselves to the resources they found in their land - since trade routes had been established with current day Asia and Africa, they imported herbs, spices, aromatic plants and different types of woods. 

Ultimately, bakhoor was significant as it pointed to the need for luxury in one’s daily life, and that it made one’s monotonous day complete. Comfort was a necessary aspect and these wonderfully scented wood chips gave one of the greatest civilizations the same feeling. 

Experience the same sense of comfort and completion with our collection of fragrant bakhoors. Shop now and fill your life with joyous luxury!