Geç Antik Ve Erken Bizans Dönemlerinde Buhur Ve Buhurdan: Dini Ve Dünyevi Kullanımları İle Buhur İçerikleri

Abstract

Incense, throughout history, has been more than just an aromatic component; it has been used for specific purposes in religious and daily life across various cultures. This study examines the ritual formed by the combination of incense and censers during the Late Antique and Early Christian periods, investigating the relationship between object and material. In addition to religious (liturgical) practices, practical examples from a socio-cultural context have been utilized. It is emphasized that the censer, beyond being merely a physical material, is a significant material culture element that gains meaning through incense and is used in both religious spaces and daily life. Furthermore, beyond meeting daily needs, it primarily relies on a symbolic contextual association. This reflection is particularly expressed in Christian iconography where the censer is identified with Mary and incense with the Prophet Jesus. The fact that incense is both a symbolic and an objective cultural element is linked to the meaning attributed to it in religious practices. In this context, the practice of burning incense, inherited from Pagan and Jewish ceremonial rituals and accepted over time in Christianity, has become a practice that attributes sacredness to the space it occupies. Accordingly, the continuous use of incense, enduring with formal changes across different cultures and geographies, has become a functional and symbolic practice in both religious and daily life. Incense, made from various aromatic plants, resins, and spices, has served as a mediator in reaching the divine. In daily life, it has also been effectively used, especially in healing illnesses, preventing bad odors, and purifying and refreshing the air. While these approaches are found in sacred texts, the clearest description is given in Exodus 30:34-38, providing instructions on how to prepare incense and what materials should be used. After the 13th century, as the term 'incense' was used in a general sense, material distinctions could not be made. The materials mentioned in the content are also products with commercial value. Indeed, the transportation of these materials was carried out through a vast trade network exceeding two thousand kilometers, known as the Incense Route. Commercial activities in the East and the Mediterranean allowed for the spread of aromatic products and the use of this culture in different geographies.