Ladanum company in the village Sises in Crete

Ladanum company in the village Sises in Crete

Ladanum is a plant which grows in the island of C R E T E and specially in the area of village S I S S E S (where our factory exists).lt is a natural plant cultivation and harvest of which our company organized during the last 20 years.Today we are proud to inform you that we succeeded to get the highest quality as it concerns smelling-burning and hardness of its juice.

On spring startes the harvest of the fragrant juice which the plant produces. It is a laborius and delicate procedure for exceptional skilled workmen. By hiting the plant with a specific implement slowly and methodically they detach the juice from the flower. Afterwards they separate the juice from the tool which is Iiquid but it gets solid as soon as it ¡s frozen.

Now the solid juice must come into the laboratory where it is
worked out under special finishing (centifugal cleaning in machine under high temperature) where its quality is checked. Now the juice is ready for the final tests which concern its hardnes - smell and burning.After the final tests the solid juice of labdanum is ready to get into the pack-up section where it will be packed and kept
under special temperature in order not to loose its attributes. The liquid juice after pedantic filter is ready to fill the bottles.

Packing of ladanum differs analogous the client's desire. It is
usually packed in plastic or metal tins 5, 8, 10, 15 kilos each or standardized in plastic bags of 250 or 500grams. A label with the bugers firm can also be put on the packed ladanum.

ladanum(ledanum) in Herodotus-Thalia

Thalia


of no other animal. You find in a hare's belly, at one and the same
time, some of the young all covered with fur, others quite naked,
others again just fully formed in the womb, while the hare perhaps has
lately conceived afresh. The lioness, on the other hand, which is
one of the strongest and boldest of brutes, brings forth young but
once in her lifetime, and then a single cub; she cannot possibly
conceive again, since she loses her womb at the same time that she
drops her young. The reason of this is that as soon as the cub
begins to stir inside the dam, his claws, which are sharper than those
of any other animal, scratch the womb; as the time goes on, and he
grows bigger, he tears it ever more and more; so that at last, when
the birth comes, there is not a morsel in the whole womb that is
sound.
Now with respect to the vipers and the winged snakes of Arabia, if
they increased as fast as their nature would allow, impossible were it
for man to maintain himself upon the earth. Accordingly it is found
that when the male and female come together, at the very moment of
impregnation, the female seizes the male by the neck, and having
once fastened, cannot be brought to leave go till she has bit the neck
entirely through. And so the male perishes; but after a while he is
revenged upon the female by means of the young, which, while still
unborn, gnaw a passage through the womb, and then through the belly of
their mother, and so make their entrance into the world. Contrariwise,
other snakes, which are harmless, lay eggs, and hatch a vast number of
young. Vipers are found in all parts of the world, but the winged
serpents are nowhere seen except in Arabia, where they are all
congregated together. This makes them appear so numerous.
Such, then, is the way in which the Arabians obtain their
frankincense; their manner of collecting the cassia is the following:-
They cover all their body and their face with the hides of oxen and
other skins, leaving only holes for the eyes, and thus protected go in
search of the cassia, which grows in a lake of no great depth. All
round the shores and in the lake itself there dwell a number of winged
animals, much resembling bats, which screech horribly, and are very
valiant. These creatures they must keep from their eyes all the
while that they gather the cassia.
Still more wonderful is the mode in which they collect the
cinnamon. Where the wood grows, and what country produces it, they
cannot tell- only some, following probability, relate that it comes
from the country in which Bacchus was brought up. Great birds, they
say, bring the sticks which we Greeks, taking the word from the
Phoenicians, call cinnamon, and carry them up into the air to make
their nests. These are fastened with a sort of mud to a sheer face
of rock, where no foot of man is able to climb. So the Arabians, to
get the cinnamon, use the following artifice. They cut all the oxen
and asses and beasts of burthen that die in their land into large
pieces, which they carry with them into those regions, and Place
near the nests: then they withdraw to a distance, and the old birds,
swooping down, seize the pieces of meat and fly with them up to
their nests; which, not being able to support the weight, break off
and fall to the ground. Hereupon the Arabians return and collect the
cinnamon, which is afterwards carried from Arabia into other
countries.
Ledanum, which the Arabs call ladanum, is procured in a yet
stranger fashion. Found in a most inodorous place, it is the
sweetest-scented of all substances. It is gathered from the beards
of he-goats, where it is found sticking like gum, having come from the
bushes on which they browse. It is used in many sorts of unguents, and
is what the Arabs burn chiefly as incense.
Concerning the spices of Arabia let no more be said. The whole
country is scented with them, and exhales an odour marvellously sweet.
There are also in Arabia two kinds of sheep worthy of admiration,
the like of which is nowhere else to be seen; the one kind has long
tails, not less than three cubits in length, which, if they were

Laudanum (# than ladanum,labdanum)

Laudanum
From LoveToKnow 1911 : http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Laudanum

LAUDANUM, originally the name given by Paracelsus to a famous medical preparation of his own composed of gold, pearls, &c. (Opera, 1658, i. 492/2), but containing opium as its chief ingredient. The term is now only used for the alcoholic tincture of opium (q.v.). The name was either invented by Paracelsus from Lat. laudare to praise, or was a corrupted form of "ladanum" (Gr. X 5avov, from Pers. ladan), a resinous juice or gum obtained from various kinds of the Cistus shrub, formerly used medicinally in external applications and as a stomachic, but now only in perfumery and in making fumigating pastilles, &c.

Perfumery and ladanum

Perfumery and ladanum

http://www.cistuspage.org.uk/perfumery.htm

In ancient times the valuable aromatic gum ladanum was gathered manually from Cistus creticus subsp. creticus, especially in Crete and Cyprus. The gum is exuded from glandular hairs on the leaves and young stems, especially under hot sunshine. It was gathered by allowing goats to graze on and among the plants; the ladanum adhered to their beards, which were then cut off. Alternatively a device called a ladanisterion or ergastiri, with long thongs of leather, was drawn over the plants by hand during the hottest part of the day, when the ladanum was at its runniest and stickiest.. The leather thongs became caked with ladanum, which was then scraped off and formed into lumps of various shapes. A very small amount of ladanum is still gathered in this traditional way in a small area surrounding a village in northern Crete.

The modern perfume industry extracts its ladanum from a different species, Cistus ladanifer, whose leaves and young stems are covered with the very sticky gum. The industry is centred in Spain, close to the north-eastern corner of Portugal and a small area in southern France. Young stems are mechanically harvested from the plants and subjected to industrial processes to extract the gum and refine it in various ways.

Three main processes produce a) Oil of Ladanum, b) Concrete or Absolute of Ladanum and c) Labdanum Resinoid or Resinol.

Perfumers classify ladanum as an "amber" odour. It commands a very high price. It is rich, long-lasting and widely used as a fixative, as well as for its own fragrance.

N.B. There is no connection with laudanum!

ladanum in bible

LADANUM (CTAKTH [ADEFL], RESINA),

Gen. 37251 (RYE. MYRRH) 4311t (EV MYRRH), is the

name of a resin called by the Arabs Lidhan or ladan‘

which was yielded by some species of Cistus. It was

known to the Greeks as early as the times of Herodotus

and Theophrastus by the names X+Sov, hdSuvov, and

h.?Suvor, which are very closely allied to the Arabic

name.

Ladanum is described by Herodotus (3 1x2) as particulaFly

fragrant, though gathered from the beards of goats, on which

it is found sticking ; similarly Dioscorides (1 128). Tournefort,

in modern times (Voyage, 129)) has given a detailed description

of the mode of obtaining ladanum. He relates that it is now

gathered by means of a Aasavronjpmv or kind of flail2 with

which the plants are threshed. When these thongs are

loaded with the fiagrant and sticky resin they are scraped

with a knife. the substance is then roiled into a mass,

in which state‘it is called ladanum or labdanum. Ladanum

consists of resin and volatile oil, and is highly fragrant, and

stimulant as a medicine but is often adulterated wlth sand in

commerce. The ladan& which is used in Europe is collected

chiefly in the Greek isles, and also in continental Greece. It

is yielded by species of the genus Cistus (especially by C.

weticus) which are known in this country by the name of Rock

Rose ; they are natives of the S. of Europe, the Mediterranean

islands, and the N. of Africa. According to Tristram (FFP

235) Palestinian ladanum is derived from Cisfus villosus L.,

which grows ‘in the hill district; E. and W. of Jordan,’ ahd is

‘especially plentiful on Carmel. Cistus creticus, which LS only

a varietyof this and distinguished by its yiscidity, is fthe

common formon the southern hdls.’ [Fonck thmks of the C~strrs

salv’uifoo(ius, which is also plentiful on Carmel, for the ladanum ;

but H. Christ (ZDPV 65fi [1899]) questions this identification.]

Ladanum is said by Pliny. as it was long before said by

Herodotus, to be a product of Arabia, though this has not

been proved to be the case in modern times. Enoi~gh,

however, has been adduced to show that Zadanum was

known to, and esteemed by, the ancients ; and, as it is

1 According to Moidtmann and Muller (Sub. Dfnk. 84) the

ZEdhan is the proper Arabic form derived from Persian.

2 Specimens of the implement can be seen in the Museum at

Kew (Crete and Cyprus).

Page 2692

stated to have been a product of Syria, it was very

likely to have been sent to Egypt both as a present and

as merchandise. The word Zridan is found in the inscription

on a S. Arabian censer (Sa6. Denk. 84). and

in Assyrian in the list of objects received as tribute from

Damascus byTiglath-Pileser 111. (KA TC2) 151, 18). The

biblical narrative (J) shows that was some precious

gum produced in Canaan or at least in Gilead.

See Royle's article ' Lot' in Kitto's Bibl. Cycl., on which this

article is mainly based. N. M.-W. T. T.-

page 2963

http://www.case.edu/univlib/preserve/Etana/encyl_biblica_l-p/laadah-lazarus.pdf

Myrrh

Myrrh - Heb. mor.
(1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was used in embalming (John 19:39), also as a perfume (Esther 2:12; Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17). It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion "wine mingled with myrrh" to produce insensibility. This drugged wine was probably partaken of by the two malefactors, but when the Roman soldiers pressed it upon Jesus "he received it not" (Mark 15:23). (See GALL .)

This was the gum or viscid white liquid which flows from a tree resembling the acacia, found in Africa and Arabia, the Balsamodendron myrrha of botanists. The "bundle of myrrh" in Cant. 1:13 is rather a "bag" of myrrh or a scent-bag.

(2.) Another word lot is also translated "myrrh" (Gen. 37:25; 43:11; R.V., marg., "or ladanum"). What was meant by this word is uncertain. It has been thought to be the chestnut, mastich, stacte, balsam, turpentine, pistachio nut, or the lotus. It is probably correctly rendered by the Latin word ladanum, the Arabic ladan, an aromatic juice of a shrub called the Cistus or rock rose, which has the same qualities, though in a slight degree, of opium, whence a decoction of opium is called laudanum. This plant was indigenous to Syria and Arabia.

http://www.htmlbible.com/kjv30/easton/east2632.htm

Myrrh

---

NET Glossary: a reddish-brown resinous material, the dried sap of the myrrh tree, Commiphora myrrha or Balsamodendron, an ingredient of perfumes and incense highly prized in ancient times and often worth more than its weight in gold; myrrh was also used as an ingredient in embalming ointment

Myrrh [EBD]

Heb. mor. (1.) First mentioned as a principal ingredient in the holy anointing oil (Ex. 30:23). It formed part of the gifts brought by the wise men from the east, who came to worship the infant Jesus (Matt. 2:11). It was used in embalming (John 19:39), also as a perfume (Esther 2:12; Ps. 45:8; Prov. 7:17). It was a custom of the Jews to give those who were condemned to death by crucifixion "wine mingled with myrrh" to produce insensibility. This drugged wine was probably partaken of by the two malefactors, but when the Roman soldiers pressed it upon Jesus "he received it not" (Mark 15:23). (See GALL.)

This was the gum or viscid white liquid which flows from a tree resembling the acacia, found in Africa and Arabia, the Balsamodendron myrrha of botanists. The "bundle of myrrh" in Cant. 1:13 is rather a "bag" of myrrh or a scent-bag.

(2.) Another word lot is also translated "myrrh" (Gen. 37:25; 43:11; R.V., marg., "or ladanum"). What was meant by this word is uncertain. It has been thought to be the chestnut, mastich, stacte, balsam, turpentine, pistachio nut, or the lotus. It is probably correctly rendered by the Latin word ladanum, the Arabic ladan, an aromatic juice of a shrub called the Cistus or rock rose, which has the same qualities, though in a slight degree, of opium, whence a decoction of opium is called laudanum. This plant was indigenous to Syria and Arabia.

Myrrh [NAVE]

MYRRH, a fragrant gum. A product of the land of Canaan, Song 4:6, 14; 5:1.
One of the compounds in the sacred anointing oil, Ex. 30:23.
Used as a perfume, Esth. 2:12; Psa. 45:8; Prov. 7:17; Song 3:6; 5:13.
Brought by wise men as a present to Jesus, Matt. 2:11.
Offered to Jesus on the cross, Mark 15:23.
Used for embalming, John 19:39.
Traffic in, Gen. 37:25; 43:11.

MYRRH [SMITH]

This substance is mentioned in (Exodus 30:23) as one of the ingredients of the "oil of holy ointment:" in (Esther 2:12) as one of the substances used in the purification of women; in (Psalms 45:8; Proverbs 7:17) and in several passages in Canticles, as a perfume. The Greek occurs in (Matthew 2:11) among the gifts brought by the wise men to the infant Jesus and in (Mark 15:23) it is said that "wine mingled with myrrh" was offered to but refused by, our Lord on the cross. Myrrh was also used for embalming. See John 19;39 and Herod. ii. 86. The Balsamodendron myrrha , which produces the myrrh of commerce, has a wood and bark which emit a strong odor; the gum which exudes from the bark is at first oily, but becomes hard by exposure to the air. (This myrrh is in small yellowish or white globules or tears. The tree is small, with a stunted trunk, covered with light-gray bark, It is found in Arabia Felix. The myrrh of (Genesis 37:25) was probably ladalzum , a highly-fragrant resin and volatile oil used as a cosmetic, and stimulative as a medicine. It is yielded by the cistus , known in Europe as the rock rose, a shrub with rose-colored flowers, growing in Palestine and along the shores of the Mediterranean. --ED.) For wine mingled with myrrh see GALL.

MYRRH [ISBE]

MYRRH - mur:

(1) (mor or mowr; Arabic murr]): This substance is mentioned as valuable for its perfume (Ps 45:8; Prov 7:17; Song 3:6; 4:14), and as one of the constituents of the holy incense (Ex 30:23; see also Song 4:6; 5:1,5,13). Mor is generally identified with the "myrrh" of commerce, the dried gum of a species of balsam (Balsamodendron myrrha). This is a stunted tree growing in Arabia, having a light-gray bark; the gum resin exudes in small tear-like drops which dry to a rich brown or reddish-yellow, brittle substance, with a faint though agreeable smell and a warm, bitter taste. It is still used as medicine (Mk 15:23). On account, however, of the references to "flowing myrrh" (Ex 30:23) and "liquid myrrh" (Song 5:5,13), Schweinfurth maintains that mor was not a dried gum but the liquid balsam of Balsamodendron opobalsamum.

See BALSAM.

Whichever view is correct, it is probable that the smurna, of the New Testament was the same. In Mt 2:11 it is brought by the "Wise men" of the East as an offering to the infant Saviour; in Mk 15:23 it is offered mingled with wine as an anesthetic to the suffering Redeemer, and in Jn 19:39 a "mixture of myrrh and aloes" is brought by Nicodemus to embalm the sacred body.

(2) (loT, stakte; translated "myrrh" in Gen 37:25, margin "ladanum"; 43:11): The fragrant resin obtained from some species of cistus and called in Arabic ladham, in Latin ladanum. The cistus or "rock rose" is exceedingly common all over the mountains of Palestine (see BOTANY), the usual varieties being the C. villosus with pink petals, and the C. salviaefolius with white petals. No commerce is done now in Palestine in this substance as of old (Gen 37:25; 43:11), but it is still gathered from various species of cistus, especially C. creticus in the Greek Isles, where it is collected by threshing the plants by a kind of flail from which the sticky mass is scraped off with a knife and rolled into small black balls. In Cyprus at the present time the gum is collected from the beards of the goats that browse on these shrubs, as was done in the days of Herodotus iii.112).

E. W. G. Masterman

http://net.bible.org/dictionary.php?word=Myrrh

Ladanum (Cistus incanus L.)

“Take some of the choice fruits from the land, and carry them down as a present to the man—a little balm and a little honey, gum, myrrh, pistachio nuts and almonds”

(Genesis 43:11)

The balm mentioned in Genesis is thought to be ladanum, a sturdy shrub that adorns the hills beside the Mediterranean. Popularly known as Rock Rose, the plant’s papery white or pink flowers belie the strength of its balm, a yellowish resin that exudes a strong scent of ambergris. It was believed to have medicinal properties and is still used in perfume manufacture and as incense in churches of the eastern rite.

http://members.bib-arch.org/nph-proxy.pl/000000A/http/www.basarchive.org/bswbSearch.asp=3fPubID=3dBSBR&Volume=3d13&Issue=3d5&ArticleID=3d9&UserID=3d0&

The Rockroses by Ken Montgomery

all the article and a lot of other types of ladanum in link : http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/plants/cistuskm.html



The Rockroses
by Ken Montgomery
I confess to a love affair with rockroses that
has lasted almost thirty years. These fascinating
and extraordinarily beautiful plants bring a long
list of desirable qualities to the world of
horticulture.
Most rockroses are extremely drought-tolerant.
Once established they require minimal irrigation in
the dry season and can contribute significantly to
water conservation efforts. Gernerally speaking,
these shrubs are cold-hardy to temperatures as low
as 5&degF., adaptable to a wide range of soils and
microclimates, easy to grow and maintain and
resistant to serious pests and diseases. Many have
extensive root systems, making them useful in
stabilizing slopes and controlling soil erosion.
They provide cover for wildlife and are compatible
with [California] native vegitation. At the same
time, they are not invasive and pose a minimal
threat of spreading into natural areas and becoming
pests. Low-growing kinds are somewhat
fire-retardant and many others are unpalatable to
deer.
The common name "rockrose" referes most
often to the members of three closely related
genera - Cistus, Halimium, and Halimiocistus.
These groups are classified together in the family
Cistaceae along with sunroses (Helianthemum).
Rockroses are so called because their flowers
resemble single, old-fashioned roses (although
they are unrelated) and because they prefer to
grow in rocky, well-drained soil. They are
evergreen strongly woody shrubs, varying in
height from two to over eight feet and from three
to more than six feet across. Some sprawl on the
groun, while others are open, erect and rangy.
These are not plants for formal, highly structured
gardens. Even with moderate pruning, rosroses
have a wild, undomesticated look in the landscape.
They bloom most heavily in the spring, with some
species beginning as early as March. Each flower
lasts only a few hours but many kinds bloom so
profusely that the entire plant is covered with
hundred of new blossoms each day. Colors range
from white and many shades of pink and
lavender-pink in Cistus to white and yellow in
Halimium. Flowers of some rockroses also have a
showy red to maroon spot or blotch at the base of
each petal, offering stunning contrasts to the
numerous bright yellow stamens at the center.
All rockroses are native to lands surrounding
the Mediterranean Sea. They are adapted to long,
hot, dry summers - the same conditions found in
much of California. As we begin facing the reality
of a semi-arid Mediterranean climate here in
California, the use of appropriate plants in our
gardens and landscape takes on increasing
importance. In this context, rockroses are enjoying
greater popularity than ever before. Old faorites
are being rediscovered and many fine new
selections are being introduced into the nursery
trade. The future is bright for rockroses, and I
couldn't be happier!

Cistus creticus L.

Cistus creticus L.
Cistaceæ
Western & Central Mediterranean, from
Southern Spain to South-Eastern Italy - on
sandy soils and scrub
Pink Rockrose, Mauve Rockrose, Hairy
Rockrose, Gum Cistus, Grey Rockrose,
Hoary Cistus, Balm of Gilead (biblical)
Cisto rosso, Cisto villoso, Rosola
(Italian), Turdju burdu, Mudrju biancu,
Mucchju biancu, Murdegu oinu (Italian,
Sardo), Jara gris (Castillian Spanish)
A highly variable species which helps to
confuse identification of species and
natural hybrids. Overall, the foliage
tends to be somewhat sticky, slightly
undulate to very wavy edged and/or
crinkly in texture. The 4-5cm magenta
pink flowers are borne singly throughout
the plant from March to June. Found in
the garrigue and maquis, rocky areas,
stony dry hillsides, open pine forests.
Tolerant of a variety of substrate but
prefer calcareous soil.
Synonyms C. incanus C. polymorphus
Willk. C. villosus
Forms/Subspecies/Varieties
C. creticus forma albus white flowers
C. creticus subsp. corsicus
Cistus creticus - mediterranean climate gardening througho... http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/plants/Cistus....
2 of 2 29/11/2004 10:09 µµ
C. creticus subsp. creticus wavy-edged
leaves with sticky hairs, exuding ladanum
Cultivars/Selections
C. creticus 'Lasithi' compact habit,
rounded form
C. creticus forma albus 'Tania Compton'
an albino selection
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Concept/page design by Seán A. O'Hara,
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Cistaceae by Olivier Filippi

Cistaceae
by Olivier Filippi
(translation by Sean A. O'Hara)

The flowering of the cistuses in the garrigue in spring remains one of the most beautiful spectacles of our Mediterranean landscape. The richness of the colours, the diversity their evergreen foliages and especially the robust habit of these plants makes the group quite versatile: free standing hedges for the tall varieties, large, massed groundcovers for those of medium height, mats and tumblers for low-growing or prostrate types.

All the cistuses are very drought tolerant. They prosper in good drainage. Their tolerance of akalinity and cold is specific for each variety (see the two tables below). La life expectancy of the cistuses is not very long: eight to ten years for the species, and up to fifteen years for the hybrids. The cistuses age better in difficult conditions: avoid rich soils, manure, water in summer. To increase to them life expectancy, it is good to cut them back lightly each year in the autumn for the mild winter regions or at the end of the winter for the colder regions.

It is possible to visit our "garden of rockroses" from April 15 through the end of May. There you will be able to study the flowers of all the species and hybrids presented below.

Olivier Filippi

Cistus creticus (Cistaceae) - Fragrant Rockrose

Cistus creticus (Cistaceae)
Fragrant Rockrose

http://www.mediterraneangardensociety.org/plants/Cistus
"Found throughout the Mediterranean region, this
extremely variable plant has gray-green, often
recirved leaves and hairy stems. Flowers range from
mid-pink to rose-purple or pale lilac. Some
botanical authorities list Cistus creticus as a
subspecies of Cistus incanus as they are closely
allied in form and flower." The Rockroses, by Kem
Montgomery
Cistus creticus 'John Catterson'
"A rockrose with exceptionally fine form, 'John
Catterson' originated as a chance seedling
discovered and introduced by Gary Ratway and
Deborah Whigham of Digging Dog Nursery. It is
excellent for coastal areas, offering 3-inch magent
flowers and a tight, mounding growth habit to 5 feet
tall and as wide. Blooming season on the
Mendocino coast if from March throught July."
The Rockroses, by Kem Montgomery
For further reading, see also:
Brooms and Rockroses: a gardener's
guide,
by Lester Hawkins,
Pacific Horticulture, Fall 1978,
(Cistus creticus featured on cover)

cistus,ladanum,labdanum info-sites-links

cistus gallery

cistus wikipedia

cistus in dictionary

cistus and halimium website

ladanum-labdnum in answers.com

Aladanos - Cistus