Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh
What would the Christmas Story be without the gifts of the Three Wise men or Magi ? Gold symbolises the kingship of Jesus, frankincense his divinity and myrrh, as used in embalming and therefore representative of death, foretold Christ’s crucifixion.
Medical uses for the three substances, however, had been known about for centuries before Christ’s birth, and had very practical uses. In fact, they are still used and prescribed by both doctors and herbalists for certain ailments today. This has led some to speculate that the three gifts were nothing short of a biblical first-aid kit for the new-born baby of a displaced family.
As it is probable that the Three Wise Men were not only astrologers but also physicians, the idea is perhaps not so outlandish as it sounds.
Gold has been used in medicine for at least 4500 years, and is prescribed these days as a treatment for arthritis. The early Chinese used it, probably more in hope than expectation, as a treatment for smallpox and measles and to stop vomiting – a belief that lasted until about 200 years ago. Up until the last 60 years it was also used to treat a whole host of ailments including scrofula, syphilis, skin diseases and tuberculosis, the latter treatment apparently having some success.
Frankincense is a gum resin obtained from the bark of the Boswelli Carterii tree, and, like Myrrh which is a resin from the Balsamodendron Myrrha tree, was well-known to and highly valued by the Arabs and North Africans in ancient times. So much so, in fact, that the resins’ source was a closely-guarded secret to prevent the Romans taking over the profitable export trade.
The nearest modern equivalent to frankincense is probably the aromatic joss-stick, and the substance has been used for millennia to mask the smell of putrefaction, mummification and cremation: a particular problem in the hotter countries of the world, where burials still wisely take place soon after death. It used to be thought that it helped to stop bleeding, but today it is mostly used by aromatherapists as a general relaxant and mood-enhancer.
Myrrh is also aromatic, and was used not only by the Egyptians in the mummification ritual but also by the Jews of the Old Testament as an anointing oil. But it has long been used for its antiseptic properties too, and can still be bought as a mouthwash and treatment for sore throats, bleeding gums and mouth ulcers, uses well known about for many hundreds of years.
The more outlandish suggestions for the possible uses of the three gifts are based on their colour. In early medicine, the colour of a cure was often matched to the condition being treated, so a red plant would be thought to cure bleeding, and a yellow plant to cure jaundice, for example. A papyrus dated to 1500 BC which contains a recipe for eye ointment made up of frankincense, myrrh and yellow ochre, has led some to speculate that, for all their symbolism, the three gifts could have been used to treat an eye infection.
But any school Christmas play wouldn’t really be as magical if the Magi handed over gifts of eye-drops, eyewash and perhaps some antiseptic cream to the new-born king, would it?
