Courtesy of Danielle Langloism, Wikipedia CCLLabdanum, goats and the pharaoh’s beard
Labdanum, a sticky resin produced by the Mediterranean rock rose, has been used for thousands of years in herbal medicine and as a perfume ingredient.
In ancient times, shepherds scraped labdanum resin from the fur of goats that grazed among rock rose shrubs and sold it to traders with markets in Egypt, Greece and Turkey, among others.
The fake beards worn by Egyptian pharaohs were actually goat hair thick with labdanum, which has been described as smelling woody, sweet, leathery and like ambergris and dry musk.
In ancient times, labdanum was used to treat colds, coughs, menstrual problems and rheumatism. Today, labdanum is used mainly by the perfume industry, the resin extracted by steam distillation or boiling the leaves and twigs.
Labdanum from Cistus Creticus:
all info:
http://www.labdanum-creta.blogspot.com/