From Resin to Reverence: Tracing Oud’s Origins and Value Across History

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Uncovering the Roots of Agarwood Oud Scent Traditions

Oud, a centuries-old scent, carries a reputation for richness that has captivated cultures across Asia for millennia. Its earthy, animalic and leathery tones linger in the air, layered with aromatic depth. The fragrance originates in the resin of the Aquilaria tree, which grows in regions such as India, Cambodia and Vietnam. For more than 4,000 years, oud has infused rituals, healing practices and spiritual traditions with meaning. Only recently has the wider world embraced it as a coveted olfactory ingredient.

Nations including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, India and Indonesia have long regarded oud as essential to daily and ceremonial life. An aromatic bridge, it has carried cultural and medicinal significance across borders and centuries. Today the fragrance claims new territory in Western perfumery, where luxury houses such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel and Dior use it as a defining base note.

Oud Throughout History

Oud has carried financial value and cultural significance for thousands of years. The Sanskrit Vedas, dating to 2000 BCE, record it as gahuru or agahuru (oud in Sanskrit). Both these early texts and later works such as History of Use and Trade of Agarwood describe oud as prâna—“life” or “spirit of life.” In India, oud often burned as an aromatic offering in rituals of veneration. The sixth-century physician Sushruta, celebrated as the “Father of Surgery,” even prescribed oud to treat inflammation.

The Ancient Egyptians used oud alongside frankincense for embalming mummies of nobility. By the second century CE, records from China’s Wu dynasty noted its use in funerary rites, while the manuscript Han Gong Xiang (On the Blending of Perfumes in the Palaces of Han) described its role in palace perfumery. In Japan, the classical chronicle Nihon Shoki later identified oud as a scented wood of Cambodian origin. Knowledge of its medicinal value also reached the Mediterranean, where the Greek physician-botanist Pedanius Dioscorides (40 CE–90 CE) recorded oud as a plant-derived medicine in his five-volume pharmacological encyclopedia Materia Medica.

Though oud holds a formidable presence in the region, its large-scale import began in the seventh century CE as Arab traders journeyed across India. The Silk Road—linking East, Central, Southeast and West Asia with Europe and North Africa—played a crucial role in carrying oud into new markets. This intricate web of land and sea routes stretched more than 6,400 kilometers, operating from the second century BCE through the 15th century. Along its paths, trade fostered not only exchange in goods but also cultural, political and religious cross-pollination.

Today, oud remains a defining fragrance in perfumes, especially in the Arabian Gulf. In Saudi Arabia, it scents weddings, celebrations and everyday life, woven into body oils and home fragrances. Companies source agarwood from regions including India, Indonesia and Vietnam to craft distinctive oud products.

How Do We Get Oud's Scent?

Oud forms in the resin of Aquilaria trees that grow naturally in India, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and parts of China. In the wild, when an Aquilaria tree suffers damage from the wood-boring insect Zeuzera conferta, a fungal infection follows in the tunnels the insects create. As defense, the tree floods its heartwood with a dark, fragrant resin that thickens over time until it can be harvested. Chiseled into smaller pieces, the resin is distilled and then refined into oil.

Today farmers cultivate Aquilaria trees and artificially inoculate them with fungal species to ensure resin production. The exact fungi depend on region, tree genus and environmental conditions, explains Rana Babaç Çelebi, a clinical aromatherapist and medical historian at Medipol University in Istanbul.

The qualities of oud vary with geography, soil, trunk and branch structure, as well as timing from infestation to resin processing. To preserve its richness, oud oil should be stored in dark bottles, away from heat and sunlight, and allowed to develop its aroma over time.

Oud in Regional and Global Contexts

Accounts of oud’s first use in the Arab world vary, though many traditions tie it to the early days of Islam. “As an incense, oud has played a significant role in religious, spiritual practices of quite a number of cultures. In Islamic cultures, the use of oud as bakhoor [incense] is deeply ingrained in social customs, including perfuming homes,” says Rana Babaç Çelebi. Babaç Çelebi hails from a family of practitioners of Anatolian folk medicine and founded Türkiye’s first online library dedicated to medicinal and aromatic plants.

Laskar, known as “Zak” in the industry, is a fourth-generation perfumer who runs Ahom World perfume company in Dubai. He prefers to call himself a “nose,” someone who is “into exclusive artisan oud oils and agarwood chips showcasing a profound connection to both the raw and refined aspects of the trade.”

His focus on these formats of oud highlights the resin’s ability to evoke a versatile sensory impression. Babaç Çelebi echoes the idea: “the popularity of oud in Turkish and Middle Eastern culture is fascinating, especially considering its source in regions are far-away South and Southeast Asia.” She attributes this popularity to the region’s cultural appreciation for fragrance, adding that oud is especially suited to warm climates because of its “cooling” effect.

The appreciation for oud extends beyond fragrance; in many cultures it symbolizes hospitality and warmth. In Emirati and Gulf traditions, oud holds a sacred place, woven into spirituality and religious rituals.

Its popularity continues to rise not only in West Asia but also in Western markets. Luxury brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, Dior, Chopard and Chanel now feature oud in their fragrances, drawing attention from consumers in Europe and North America.

“I think oud is particularly interesting as a perfume note for its ability to evolve on the skin. As it dries down, it reveals different facets of its character, creating a dynamic olfactory experience,” says Babaç Çelebi. She explains that this complexity allows oud to blend beautifully with a wide range of other scents, including floral, spices, wood and resins.

Oud’s journey from ancient practice to contemporary luxury underscores its deep significance across cultures. More than a fragrance, it embodies hospitality, spirituality and a shared appreciation for beauty. As its popularity expands worldwide, oud stands as a testament to cultural interconnectedness and the enduring appeal of this remarkable aromatic resin.

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