Agarwood
Agarwood, aloeswood, eaglewood, gharuwood or the Wood of Gods, most commonly referred to as oud or oudh (from
One of the main reasons for the relative rarity and high cost of agarwood is the depletion of the wild resource.
The aromatic qualities of agarwood are influenced by the species, geographic location, its branch, trunk and root origin, length of time since infection, and methods of harvesting and processing.[3]
Agarwood is often cited as one of the most expensive woods in the world, along with African blackwood, sandalwood, pink ivory and ebony.[4][5] First-grade agarwood is one of the most expensive natural raw materials in the world,[6] with 2010 prices for superior pure material as high as US$100,000/kg, although in practice adulteration of the wood and oil is common, allowing for prices as low as US$100/kg.[7] A whole range of qualities and products are on the market, varying in quality with geographical location, botanical species, the age of the specific tree, cultural deposition and the section of the tree where the piece of agarwood stems from.[8] As of 2013[update], the current global market for agarwood is estimated to be in the range of US$6–8 billion and is growing rapidly.[9]
Denomination
Etymology
The word ultimately comes from one of the Dravidian languages,[10][11] probably from Tamil அகில் (agil).[12]
Vernacular names
Agarwood is known under many names in different cultures:
- Another name is Lignum aloes or Aloeswood, unrelated to the familiar genus, Aloe. Also from aghil, via Hebrew and Greek.[13]
- In Assamese it is called xasi (সাঁচি).[14]
- In Bengali, agarwood is known as agor gach (আগর গাছ) and the agarwood oil as agor ator (আগর আতর).
- In Odia, it is called agara (ଅଗର).
- In Cambodia, it is called chann crassna. The fragrance from this wood is called khloem chann (ខ្លឹមចាន់) or khloem chann crassna. khloem is 'hard wood' and chann crassna is the tree species Aquilaria crassna in the Khmer language.
- In Hindi, it is known as agar, which is derived originally from the Sanskrit aguru.[15][16]
- In Sinhala Agarwood producing Gyrinops wallatree is known as "Walla Patta" (වල්ල පට්ට).
- In Tamil it is called aghi (அகில்) though what was referred in ancient Tamil literature could well be Excoecaria agallocha.
- In Telugu and Kannada, it is known by the same Sanskrit name as Aguru.
- It is known as Chénxiāng (沉香) in Chinese, Chimhyang (침향) in Korean, Jinkō (沈香) in Japanese, and trầm hương in Vietnamese; all meaning "deep scent" and alluding to its intense scent. In Japan, there are several grades of Jinkō, the highest of which is known as Kyara (伽羅).[17][18] In Vietnam, ancient texts also refer to the use of agarwood in relation to travelling Buddhist monks.[19]
- In
- Both agarwood and its resin distillate/extracts are known as oud (عود) in
- In Europe it was referred to as Lignum aquila (eagle-wood) or Agilawood, from similarity to Tamil-Malayalam aghil.
- In Indonesian and Malay, it is called gaharu.
- In The Philippines, it is known as Lapnisan.
- In Papua New Guinea it is called "ghara" or eagle wood.[citation needed]
- In Thai it is known as mai kritsana (ไม้กฤษณา).[24]
- In Laos it is known as mai ketsana (ໄມ້ເກດສະໜາ).[25]
- In Myanmar (Burmese), it is known as Thit Mhwae (သစ်မွှေး).
History
The odour of agarwood is complex and pleasing,[26] with few or no similar natural analogues. In the perfume state, the scent is mainly distinguished by a combination of "oriental-woody" and "very soft fruity-floral" notes. The incense smoke is also characterised by a "sweet-balsamic" note and "shades of vanilla and musk" and amber (not to be confused with ambergris).[8] As a result, agarwood and its essential oil gained great cultural and religious significance in ancient civilizations around the world, being described as a fragrant product as early as 1400 BCE in the Vedas of India.[27]
In the
Dioscorides in his book Materia Medica (65 CE) described several medical qualities of agarwood (Áγαλλοχου) and mentioned its use as an incense. Even though Dioscorides describes agarwood as having an astringent and bitter taste, it was used to freshen the breath when chewed or as a decoction held in the mouth. He also writes that a root extract was used to treat stomach complaints and dysentery as well as pains of the lungs and liver.
As early as the third century CE in ancient Viet Nam, the chronicle Nan zhou yi wu zhi (Strange things from the South) written by Wa Zhen of the Eastern Wu Dynasty mentioned agarwood produced in the Rinan commandery, now Central Vietnam, and how people collected it in the mountains.
During the sixth century CE in Japan, in the recordings of the
Agarwood is highly revered in Hinduism, Buddhism, Chinese Folk Religion and Islam.[3][31]
Starting in 1580 after
Xuanzang's travelogues and the Harshacharita, written in seventh century AD in Northern India, mentions use of agarwood products such as 'Xasipat' (writing-material) and 'aloe-oil' in ancient Assam (Kamarupa). The tradition of making writing materials from its bark still exists in Assam.
It is to this day still used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine where it goes by the name of Chén Xiāng - 沉香 - Literally meaning 'sinking fragrance'. Its earliest recorded mention is from the Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians, 名医别录 , Ming Yi Bie Lu, ascribed to the author Táo Hǒng-Jǐng c.420-589.[34]
Formation
Production mode
There are seventeen species in the genus
Agar wood forms in the trunk and roots of trees that have been penetrated by an
Oud oil can be distilled from agar wood using steam; the total yield of oil for 70 kg of wood will not exceed 20 ml.[37][full citation needed]
Composition
The composition of agarwood oil is exceedingly complex with more than 150 chemical compounds identified.
Perfumery
Oud has become a popular component in perfumery. Most brands have a creation based on or dedicated to "oud" or an accord of oud created through the use of certain chemical scent components. Few perfume houses use real oud in their creations. This is because oud is very expensive and potent. Oud is generally used as a base note and is traditionally paired with rose. Oud essential oil is available on the internet but care should be taken in choosing the vendor. Due to the fact that oud is such an expensive material there is a big market for diluting oud oil with patchouli or other chemical components.
Oud scent is popular in the
Aquilaria species that produce agarwood
The following species of Aquilaria produce agarwood:[35]
- Aquilaria acuminata, found in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia & Philippines
- Aquilaria apiculata, found in Philippines
- Aquilaria baillonil, found in Cambodia and Thailand
- Aquilaria banaensae, found in Vietnam
- Aquilaria beccariana, found in Indonesia
- Aquilaria brachyantha, found in Malaysia
- Aquilaria crassna found in Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam
- Aquilaria cumingiana, found in Indonesia and Malaysia
- Aquilaria grandiflora, found in China
- Aquilaria hirta, found in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia[40]
- Aquilaria khasiana, found in Bangladesh and India.
- Aquilaria malaccensis, found in Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, and India
- Aquilaria microcarpa, found in Indonesia and Malaysia
- Aquilaria rostrata, found in Malaysia
- Aquilaria sinensis, found in China and Laos
- Aquilaria subintegra, found in Cambodia,Thailand
* Sri Lankan agarwood is known as
Conservation of agarwood-producing species
In addition, agarwood plantations have been established in a number of countries, and reintroduced into countries such as Malaysia and Sri Lanka as commercial plantation crops.[41] The success of these plantations depends on the stimulation of agarwood production in the trees. Numerous inoculation techniques have been developed, with varying degrees of success.[35]
See also
References
- ^ a b Broad, S. (1995) "Agarwood harvesting in Vietnam" TRAFFIC Bulletin 15:96
- ^ a b CITES (25 April 2005) "Notification to the Parties" No. 2005/0025 Archived 30 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine. (PDF) . Retrieved on 22 July 2013.
- ^ S2CID 49875414.
- ^ "Top 10 Most Expensive Woods in the World". Salpoente Boutique. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ "11 Most Expensive Woods in the World". Ventured. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- ^ Andy Ash (27 August 2020). "First-grade agarwood can cost as much as $100,000 per kilogram. Why is it so expensive?". Business Insider. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- ^ doi:10.1002/ffj.2034.
- ^ a b Dinah Jung, The Value of Agarwood: Reflections upon its use and history in South Yemen, Universitätsbibliothel, Universität Heidelberg, 30 May 2011, (PDF) p. 4.
- ^ International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, Archived 16 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine ISSN 2305-0330, Volume 2, Issue 1: January 2013)
- ^ Burrow, T., and M. B. Emeneau (1984). A Dravidian etymological dictionary (2 ed.). Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press. p. 4.
Ta. akil (in cpds. akiṛ-) eagle-wood, Aquilaria agallocha; the drug agar obtained from the tree; akku eagle-wood. Ma. akil aloe wood, A. agallocha. Ka. agil the balsam tree which yields bdellium, Amyris agallocha; the dark species of Agallochum; fragrance. Tu. agilů a kind of tree; kari agilů Agallochum. / Cf. Skt. aguru-, agaru-; Pali akalu, akaḷu, agaru, agalu, agaḷu; Turner, CDIAL, no. 49. DED 14.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Turner, R. L. (Ralph Lilley), Sir (1962–66). A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages. London: Oxford University Press. p. 3.
agaru m.n. ʻ fragrant Aloe -- tree and wood, Aquilaria agallocha ʼ lex., aguru -- R. [← Drav. Mayrhofer EWA i 17 with lit.] Pa. agalu -- , aggalu -- m., akalu -- m. ʻ a partic. ointment ʼ; Pk. agaru -- , agaluya -- , agaru(a) -- m.n. ʻ Aloe -- tree and wood ʼ; K. agara -- kāth ʻ sandal -- wood ʼ; S. agaru m. ʻ aloe ʼ, P. N. agar m., A. B. agaru, Or. agarū, H. agar, agur m.; G. agar, agru n. ʻ aloe or sandal -- wood ʼ; M. agar m.n. ʻ aloe ʼ, Si. ayal (agil ← Tam. akil).
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Shulman, David (2016). Tamil: A biography. Harvard University Press. pp. 19–20.
We have ahalim [in Hebrew], probably derived directly from Tamil akil rather than from Sanskrit aguru, itself a loan from the Tamil (Numbers 24.8; Proverbs 7.17; Song of Songs 4.14; Psalms 45.9--the latter two instances with the feminine plural form ahalot. Akil is, we think, native to South India, and it is thus not surprising that the word was borrowed by cultures that imported this plant.
- ^ Palmer, A. Smythe (1882) Folk Etymology
- ISBN 978-81-7833-057-0. Retrieved 8 October 2010.
- OCLC 5577227
- ^ "Aguru" Archived 7 June 2010 at the Wayback Machine in Sanskrit Dictionary from Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Network
- ISBN 978-4770023896.
- ^ Thứ Hai (9 April 2006) "kỳ nam và trầm hương" Tuổi Trẻ Online Archived 15 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Tuoitre.com.vn. Retrieved on 22 July 2013.
- ^ Persoon, G.A. "Agarwood: the life of a wounded tree". IIAS Newsletter. 45 (2007). IIAS, Leiden: 24–25.
- ISBN 0-906026-26-1
- ^ Aromatics, an encyclopedia. 2010. Please note: due to the method of assigning names to medicinal botanicals used in Tibet, it must be considered that woods with similar medicinal properties are named as varieties of the same medicine, and not according to anything akin to the nomenclature of Western botany. Tibetan botanical taxonomy is still in the earliest stage: "white aloeswood" actually refers to the non-aromatic portions of the Indian sandalwood tree; "yellow aloeswood" refers to the scented heartwood of Santalum album. Unique aloeswood is the highest grade of Aquilaria agallocha resin, known in English as Agallochum, while "black aloeswood" is the resin infused wood of the same tree; "brown aloeswood" is the scented wood of several Dalbergia species from India and Bhutan.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ Burfield, Tony (2005) "Agarwood Trading" Archived 1 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine The Cropwatch Files, Cropwatch
- ^ Branch, Nathan (30 May 2009) "Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Oude Arabique (extrait)" Archived 6 September 2012 at archive.today (fashion and fragrance reviews)
- ^ "สำนักคุ้มครองภูมิปัญญาฯ" Archived 25 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, page 1 (๑), in Thai
- ^ Hkum, Seng Hkum N and Maodee, M. (July 2005) "Marketing and Domestication of NTFPs in North Phonsali Three Districts" NPADP Presentation, NTFP MIS Workshop Luangprabang, North Phongsali Alternative Development Project, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
- ^ International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences, ISSN 2305-0330, Volume 2, Issue 1: January 2013)
- S2CID 255560778.
- ^ Numbers 24:6, KJV
- ^ Psalms 45: "All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad."
- ISBN 978-1-85850-177-2. Archived(PDF) from the original on 23 November 2008.
- ISBN 9780395353448.
- ISBN 0-87727-722-2
- ^ Ghosh, Sahana (25 October 2018). "Facing extinction, India's scented agarwood is finding ways to grow in home gardens, polluted fields". scroll.in.
- ^ Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica Revised Edition
by Dan Bensky (Author), Andrew Gamble (Compiler), ISBN 0939616157
- ^ a b c d Ng, L.T.; Chang Y.S.; Kadir, A.A. (1997). "A review on agar (gaharu) producing Aquilaria species". Journal of Tropical Forest Products. 2 (2): 272–285.
- ^ The genus Gyrinops, is closely related to Aquilaria and in the past all species were considered to belong to Aquilaria. Blanchette, Robert A. (2006) "Cultivated Agarwood – Training programs and Research in Papua New Guinea", Forest Pathology and Wood Microbiology Research Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota
- ^ Harris, 1995
- ^ "The history and meaning of oud in the Middle East". 11 November 2021.
- ^ "Aquilaria filaria". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ "Aquilaria hirta". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
- ^ a b Lim, Teckwyn; Awang Anak, Noorainie (2010). Wood for the Trees: A review of the agarwood (gaharu) trade in Malaysia (PDF). Petaling Jaya: TRAFFIC Southeast Asia. p. 108.
- ^ Thompson, I. D.; Lim, T.; Turjaman, M. (2022). Expensive, Exploited and Endangered, A review of the agarwood-producing genera Aquilaria and Gyrinops: CITES considerations, trade patterns, conservation, and management (PDF). Yokohama, Japan: International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).
Further reading
Snelder, Denyse J.; Lasco, Rodel D. (29 September 2008). Smallholder Tree Growing for Rural Development and Environmental Services: Lessons from Asia. シュプリンガー・ジャパン株式会社. p. 248 ff.
Jung, Dr. Dinah (1 January 2013). The cultural biography of agarwood (PDF). University of Heidelberg: HeiDOK: Journal article: JRAS. pp. 103–125. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
External links
- Media related to Agarwood at Wikimedia Commons
- Hong Kong Herbarium factsheet of Aquilaria sinensis (archived 13 August 2005)
- Etymology of agarwood and aloe
- "Sustainable Agarwood Production in Aquilaria Trees" at the University of Minnesota
- Traditional and Medicinal Uses of Aquilaria / Agarwood The Cropwatch Files
- expensive material, BusinessInsider; video.