Lost tree from the Bible is resurrected from 1,000-year-old mystery seed

Daily Mail UK ^ | September 25, 2024 | Matthew Phelan Senior Science Reporter

[SunkenCiv]

Scientists have managed to grow an ancient seed recovered from a cave just north of Jerusalem into a long-lost species of tree — one with likely Biblical significance.

The now 10-foot-tall tree, painstakingly brought back to life over a period of 14 years, has proven to be a once presumed-extinct relative from the 'frankincense and myrrh' family.

Researchers now suspect that the tree, which they named 'Sheba,' might be the same species that produced the highly valued medicinal extract 'tsori,' first alluded to in the book of Genesis and later Old Testament accounts of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.

'The identity of Biblical 'tsori' ['balm' in English] has long been open to debate,' they said. 'There are no descriptions in Biblical sources of the tree which produced tsori.'

But 'Sheba' is just the latest in a series of this team's botanical resurrections to have come out of the Holy Land, including the 2005 sprouting of an ancient date palm, nicknamed 'Methuselah,' from a seed dating back to the time of Christ.

[SunkenCiv]

Above, an image of the ancient, 1,000-year-old seed that would grow into the plant 'Sheba.' Hadassah University Medical Center's Dr Sarah Sallon, who also lead the charge to revive the ancient date palm 'Methuselah,' suspects the seeds were left by an animal.

© Sallon, Weeks, et al / Communications Biology 2024

[gundog]

[laplata]

Amazing. Thanks for posting this.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks for the link!

• Researchers find Boswellia, an extract of frankincense, shows anti-cancer activity in small trial [01/15/2024]
• Archaeologists Find Rare 'Balm of Gilead' Gemstone Near Jerusalem's Western Wall [10/24/2021]
• Fresh 2600 Year Old Dates [09/28/2020]
• Lifting the veil on Queen of Sheba's perfume [10/11/2016]
• Tree Grown From 2,000-Year-Old Seed Has Reproduced [03/29/2015]
• Frankincense Supply Under Threat Of Drying Up [12/22/2011]
• A wise man's treatment for arthritis -- frankincense? [06/21/2011]
• Frankincense: Could it be a cure for cancer? [02/09/2010]
• Tree Grown From Ancient Seed Found in Jewish Fortress [06/13/2008]
• Tree From 2,000-Year-Old Seed Doing Well (Methuselah) [06/12/2008]
• "Methuselah" Mutation Linked to Longer Life [03/05/2008]
• Seeds 200 Years Old Breathe Again [09/22/2006]
• 2,000-Year-Old Judean Date Seed Growing Successfully [02/07/2006]
• 2,000-Year-Old Judean Date Seed Growing Successfully [01/30/2006]
• 2,000-Year-Old Seed Sprouts, Sapling Is Thriving [11/23/2005]
• BBC: Date palm buds after 2,000 years [06/12/2005]
• After a 2,000-Year Rest, a Seed Sprouts in Jerusalem [06/11/2005]

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.

[SunkenCiv]

“another humiliation!”

[Bob434]

[[Researchers now suspect that the tree, which they named ‘Sheba]]

Mighty presumptuous of them... how do they know it is a woman? Are they biologists?

[lgjhn23]

“..Mighty presumptuous of them... how do they know it is a woman? Are they biologists?...”

Exactly. Not even a “prestigious” SCOTUS judge would be able to tell. /s

[Flaming Conservative]

I know a woman who had given up on getting pregnant after several years of trying. Then, one of the doctors at the Indian clinic (feather) where she worked, instructed her to massage frankincense on her lower abdomen every day. She did as instructed. Her baby will soon be 2 years old. (She got pregnant after a few months of applying the frankincense). No idea how it works, but it did.

[Chainmail]

Interesting bit from the article: "...in the decades shortly after the reported death of Jesus."

Reported? Like there's some doubt that Jesus died?

[Sarcazmo]

Thanks for the clarifier.

[Magnum44]

[dynachrome]

“Feed me!”
~Audrey

[bgill]

They should move it and the seeds across the world before Lebanon blows it up. Bad timing for this article to come out to draw attention.

[laplata]

“...in the decades shortly after the reported death of Jesus.”

I think that means after word of the death of Jesus got around to people in distant areas. No cell phones then.

[trillabodilla]

There is a Balm in Gilead!

[SunkenCiv]

I’ve soaked in frankincense-infused baths before, smells great, very relaxing.

[Bob434]

The. Power of suggestion. Also, women will “try to get pregnant” for years, then give up trying, and lo and behold they get pregnant- the stress of trying perhaps interfered somehow it seems.

[SunkenCiv]

Nah, it falls in the “now let’s destroy everything else” list that Israel’s enemies will never accomplish anyway.

[SunkenCiv]

It’s mine, it’s ‘bitter perfume’. ;^)