Labdanum’s story dates back to ancient Greece, and the 1^st European Civilization, the Minoan civilization. Minoans used it to create incense, therapeutic and cosmetic artifacts. Their appreciation and “love” of the plant is captured in one of the frescos discovered in the Minoan Palace named “Blue Bird”.  At the centre, is a blue bird perched on a rock. The surrounding landscape, consists mainly of rocks, wild roses and irises. The orange flower on the upper left corner is identified as Cistus creticus.

According to Herodotus (considered to be the Father of History – in greek Ἡρόδοτος), the resin was collected from the rock-rose bush by shepherds who drove their goats into thickets of the shrub. As mentioned in his book “Thalia”, written in 500 BC, the resin exudes from hairs which are found on the leaves and young stems of the rock-rose. The animals love to graze on these plants. When they have had their fill, their owners comb out the resin which has stuck to their beards and coats.

“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.”[i]

Moreover, a notable number of doctors (Hippocrates, Theophrastus, Dioscorides et al.) mentioned the use and praised its valuable resign in Ancient Greece, Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt. Hippocrates (considered to be the Father of Medicine) named the small orange plant “Cistus” (Κίστος in greek). He addressed the usage of Cistus for antispasmodic properties[ii]  as well as women diseases[iii].