Readers of the Bible can probably think of some plants with an important symbolic role, like olive trees, Lebanon cedars, and palm trees. Among the biblically cited plants, however, there are also less recognizable names, some of which may have gone extinct in the past 2,000 years.
The tree that produced a resin called “tsori,” mentioned in the Books of Genesis, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, was long considered a lost plant. That is, until last week, when scientists say they have recreated this biblical tree by germinating a 1,000-year-old seed that was found in a cave in the Judean desert in the 1980s.
"The identity of biblical 'tsori' has long been open to debate," Sarah Sallon and her co-authors wrote in their study. Tsori, also known as “Balm of Gilead” in Hebrew versions of the Bible, was extracted by a plant linked with the region of Gilead, located east of the Jordan River.
For the past 14 years, Sallon and her team have been growing a plant from an ancient seed retrieved in a cave in the Judean desert. The seed was dated to the period between 993 and 1202, according to the study.
As explained in IFL Science, the unknown tree, nicknamed “Sheba,” had been identified as belonging to the Commiphora genus, a member of the frankincense and myrrh family (Burseraceae) that currently counts about 200 living species of trees cultivated for resin extraction or other botanical uses in Africa and the Middle East.
After nearly 15 years of “experimental gardening,” Sheba turned into a 10-foot-tall tree allowing scientists to study its features for the first time. The authors originally believed that “Sheba” could have been an exemplar of the “Judean balsam,” a plant described by Greek, Roman-Byzantine, and post-Classical authors as a prized commodity known for its fragrance.
However, after performing a chemical analysis on “Sheba,” the team reported no aromatic compounds, ruling out the Judean balsam hypothesis. Because of the ancient plant’s medicinal properties, the team believes that “Sheba” could be traced back to biblical “tsori,” a resin associated with healing in Genesis, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.
Chemical analysis of Sheba's leaves and resin revealed the tree is rich in compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. The leaves and stems also displayed high levels of squalene, a natural substance with antioxidant and skin-smoothing properties.
Based on this evidence, the team concluded that “Sheba” may be an “extinct taxon once native to this region whose resin ‘tsori‘ mentioned in biblical texts was valuable, associated with healing but not described as fragrant.” The team hopes that the study can help highlight the importance of recreating species that played an important cultural role during antiquity.
