What is frankensence?

"Frankincense or olibanum (Arabic language: لبٌان, lubbān) is an aromatic resin obtained from trees of the genus Boswellia, particularly Boswellia sacra (syn. B. carteri, B. thurifera) (Burseraceae). It is used in incense as well as in perfumes." [From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankincense]

You know how pine trees have sticky pitch that oozes from breaks in the bark? Frankincense is like that. It's the pitch of a tree that grows on the edge of middle eastern and north African deserts. Unlike pine pitch, it doesn't stay sticky. It dries to what are called "tears", light yellow to golden chunks. These chunks are harvested. They look a bit like amber.

Frankincense has a distinctive pleasant odor, and the tears can be powdered to be used in soaps and perfumes, and in incense (that's where the Word comes from), or the chunks can be burned themselves on charcoal to produce aromatic smoke.