Dragon’s Blood tree … narrates the story of the first drop of blood between Abel and Cain

Aesthetic Verse of aromatic and medicinal trees

As Trémaux tree excavates its path amid the rocks, the people of Socotra are excavating their path to live simply and patiently, and as Dragoon’s Blood tree giving them medicine, shadows and Beauty, they give it preservation and attention…

These lines derived from several authentic sources are talking about the most important long-lived tree on the island, the “Dragon’s Blood”, which stenographs the most important aromatic trees located in the area of Dixam Plateau , Fermhin and mountainous series of island. It is truly a blessed tree and a sign of beauty by which the island of Socotra in Yemen is characterized among the world’s trees. These trees are growing heavily in the rocky ground of the island at an altitude of 2000-5000 feet above the sea level, and according to old folk beliefs, the tree disturbs the jinn and expels ghosts and evil spirits from human and animal bodies.

Its name is related to the myth that passed between generations in Yemen, which tells the story of the first drop of blood and the first bleeding between the two brothers Cain and Abel, and according to the legend, Cain and Abel were the first who lived in the island of Socotra, and when the first historical murder – mentioned in the Holy Qur’an – in the history took place and blood was shed germinated the Dragon’s Blood tree, which is the tree of blood of the two brothers ” Cain and Abel “, while historical sources say that it is dated back to the beginning of the first millennium BC.

Socotra was one of the most important centers for the production of aromatic frankincense and incense which was two holy substances among the religions of the ancient world as they were used in ancient worship rituals. As occurred in ancient Yemeni inscriptions, the land which produces aromatic substances is blessed, and such aromatic trees are important to the Himyaris, Pharaohs and Assyrians. Also this tree of the Two Brothers Blood was known as “snake’s blood”, “Dragon’s blood”, “red veins”, “goat’s blood”, “Shi’yan” and “Ay’da”. According to the book “Lisan Al-Arab”, the definition of “Ay’da” is the red dye, and it was told it is the Logwood, Two Brothers Blood or Saffron, and the historian “Al-Asmaee” mentioned it with the name “Andam” which is Dragon’s Blood.

Historical sources said that the first appearance of this tree on earth was more than 50 million years ago, and it is likely was in the Mediterranean basin, and spreads today in a few islands in the world of which the most important is the archipelago of Socotra Islands in Yemen, which became a nature reserve because it contains a lot of rare species of Fauna and Flora, among which Dragon’s Blood is the most important tree that dramatically tolerant of drought, and this is due to its ability to retain water for many years. What distinguishes this tree is its outward appearance and medical value, where citizens takes out the red sticky therapeutic from its bark, inside or outside of the tree by means like a knife or sharp stone, and put it in a special pot, then a professional takes it for cooking in a wide clay pot placed on a high aperture fire, and stirs it with a stick until it turns into a shape of plate like the plate of incense, then it will be cut after cooling into small cloves of which copious amounts are exported through Hadramout and Aden  , but they get finished soon from the shops of spice dealers due to the large demand on them, so that large amounts of them are exported to Gulf States.

There are other stories say that after the resin become solid in summer months, it will be scraped with a sharp object from congregate cavities which have been cut in the trunk of the tree, and the best grades of it is the resin which gathers on the branches, also there is a glue-resin which extracted from the bark of light plant with a height of about 8 meters long and its leaves are feathery arranged, while the neck is vertical with long black spines, and its flowers are small-sized and fruits are small too but covered with shiny brunette scales. The fruit contains one oval-shaped seed of a brown color, and the usable part is the resin extracted from the plant’s peel and fruits scales, and it is dark red color with no distinctive smell or special taste. The active ingredient in it is called “Draco”, and its percentage in the plant is about 55%, and it has been used in ancient times to treat wounds, sores and strengthen of digestive system, and it was mentioned by the most important ancient Arab physician “Ibn Sina” in his book “ the low in Medicine”, also said “Ibn al-Bitar” in his book “the whole vocabulary of medicines and food” that the blood of the two brothers is the Dragon’s blood and also the blood of the snake, too. It is used today therapeutically where extracted from it drugs for stomach cracks and stopping internal bleeding anywhere in the body, as well as interferences in tooth pastes production as an astringent and antiseptic of the gums. Also it is interference in the production of varnish, marble dye, ointments industry, printing ink and others. It is also used, in Socotra, to adorn clay pots and walls of houses from the outside.

Ancient physician “Ibn Al-Bitar” said (Dragon’s Blood is a known red substance that prevents bleeding, closes wounds and soft sores and strengthens the stomach), also “Dwoood Al-Antaki” said that Dragon’s Blood is cool and dry and prevents bleeding, diarrhea, liver heat and dysentery. While modern medical studies indicate that Dragon’s Blood strengthens the stomach and useful for the treatment of its cracks, and using boiled Dragon’s Blood three times a day is good to treat gum sores, it is also cures wounds or sores if crushed and placed on them, and it stops the bleeding of any organ of the body … but some Dragon’s Blood trees are exposed to necrosis operations from inside, which threatens some of these trees to be collapsed, and this is what environmental experts and interested people of Socotra environment have warned of.

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