Myrrh is a sticky, fragrant resin that oozes from the bark of certain thorny trees growing in parts of Africa and the Middle East. For thousands of years, people have valued myrrh for its sweet, earthy smell and its uses in medicine, perfume, and religious ceremonies.

You probably know myrrh from the Christmas story, where one of the three wise men brought it as a gift to the baby Jesus, along with gold and frankincense. In ancient times, myrrh was expensive and precious, sometimes worth as much as gold. People burned it as incense in temples, mixed it into perfumes and ointments, and used it to preserve bodies in ancient Egypt.

To harvest myrrh, workers cut the bark of myrrh trees and let the golden-brown sap drip out and harden into tear-shaped droplets. These hardened pieces can be burned to release their distinctive aroma or ground into powder for various uses.

Today myrrh still appears in some perfumes, toothpastes, and traditional medicines, though it's no longer as valuable or widely used as it was in ancient times.