It is obtained by scraping away pieces of the papery bark then making short longitudinal cuts on the tree trunk or branch. This produces a translucent sap and after a few weeks it will harden into small clumps of pure golden-brown frankincense.
Myrrh comes from a tree in Somalia.
Unlike frankincense which comes from trees that are purposely incised to tap the aromatic sap, the best myrrh comes only from the natural exudate of myrrh trees. It slowly seeps out of the bark, first forming a thick paste, then hardens and turns a brownish-red. It has a sweet but bitter taste. It makes an excellent incense. The Bible records that myrrh was pulverized and used to make an ointment that the Yemenites claimed to have great medicinal value.