Not the Balm of Gilead, but close?

PALEOBOTANY: Tree grown from ancient mystery seed found in cave could be source of biblical balm. Identified as species of Commiphora, part of the frankincense and myrrh family, plant lacks fragrance but medical compound suggests possible link with Bible’s ‘tsori’ (Sue Surkes, Times of Israel).

The resin of a tree germinated from a mysterious 1,000-year-old seed found in a Judean Desert cave could be the source of the biblical tsori, a type of medicinal balm, according to newly published research.

Radiocarbon dating has put the date of the seed’s origin somewhere between 993 CE and 1202 CE.

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Any link to tsori, the biblical, Judean "balm of Gilead" seems to be indirect.

If fragrant — which tests so far suggest it is not — it could have been a candidate for the legendary Judean balsam or “Balm of Judea,” which no longer exists. Prized for its exquisite perfume and medicinal qualities in ancient times, this was a non-native plant cultivated at oases around the Dead Sea for 1,000 years until the 9th century CE. A native species such as the regerminated plant, Sheba, could have been used as rootstock onto which the Judean balsam was grafted, suggests an article published this month in Communications Biology.

The link is to the underlying article, which is open access. The abstract:

Characterization and analysis of a Commiphora species germinated from an ancient seed suggests a possible connection to a species mentioned in the Bible

Sarah Sallon, Elaine Solowey, Morgan R. Gostel, Markus Egli, Gavin R. Flematti, Björn Bohman, Philippe Schaeffer, Pierre Adam & Andrea Weeks
Communications Biology volume 7, Article number: 1109 (2024) Cite this article

Abstract

A seed recovered during archaeological excavations of a cave in the Judean desert was germinated, with radiocarbon analysis indicating an age of 993 CE– 1202 calCE. DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis identified the seedling as belonging to the angiosperm genus Commiphora Jacq., sister to three Southern African Commiphora species, but unique from all other species sampled to date. The germinated seedling was not closely related to Commiphora species commonly harvested for their fragrant oleoresins including Commiphora gileadensis (L.) C.Chr., candidate for the locally extinct “Judean Balsam” or “Balm of Gilead” of antiquity. GC-MS analysis revealed minimal fragrant compounds but abundance of those associated with multi-target bioactivity and a previously undescribed glycolipid compound series. Several hypotheses are offered to explain the origins, implications and ethnobotanical significance of this unknown Commiphora sp., to the best of our knowledge the first identified from an archaeological site in this region, including identification with a resin producing tree mentioned in Biblical sources and possible agricultural relationship with the historic Judean Balsam.

For more on the balm of Gilead, see the links collected here.

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