Gary Young's Blog

My head was spinning, trying to figure out what this was all about and what I was going to do, since it appeared that my first opportunity to be in Egypt looked like it was headed for disaster. I so wanted to know why Christ, as a child, fled to Egypt, since I’m sure there were other places he could have gone. What was the frankincense story all about? I had hoped to discover why frankincense was found in Tutankhamun’s tomb when it was opened by Howard Carter in 1922.

Why was Christ the only child recorded in historical writings to receive frankincense, myrrh, and gold at his birth? Yet, even that was shrouded with mystery as the definition in the Sabaic Dictionary, published by the University of Sana’a in 1982, states: “Gold, a type of incense.” That was a clue to something new that really piqued my interest.

Historically, at that time, incense was far more prized than gold. If frankincense and myrrh were given as precious gifts, why would gold, a much lesser commodity, be given as well? How did frankincense and myrrh equate to gold? As I started putting together what I had learned with what had been written, it just didn’t make sense.

Through my research and in asking questions in that part of the world, I learned that balsam oil was anciently called “liquid gold.” That seemed to be common knowledge in the Arabian world. So then I had to ask myself, “Did the translator leave out the word liquid because it didn’t seem important, or was it simply not understood?”  I was fascinated with it all and was driven to find the truth.

To be continued . . .

You can find more Egyptian photos here.

My journey began 18 years ago when I traveled to Egypt in search of the answers to many questions about the mysteries of essential oils hidden in the ancient ruins and hieroglyphics of Egyptian history. I was excited to study essential oil chemistry with Dr. Radwan Farag, PhD, dean of the Biochemistry Department at Cairo University, who at that time was the most published authority on essential oils in the world.

Tourism had already been greatly restricted in Egypt when I heard the announcement in the London airport requesting that all passengers traveling to Egypt report to the Customer Service Counter of Egypt Air immediately. All nonresidents were being advised not to travel there because there was tremendous tension and upheaval in the country, and it was extremely dangerous. Tickets were being changed and refunded for all foreigners except one. I knew I had to go, and I just couldn’t let this stand in my way of what I felt was to be a great adventure into the discovery of the unknown.

As I boarded the Egypt Air flight to Cairo, all eyes of the 38 Egyptian citizens were on me as I placed my camera bag in the overhead compartment. As the plane lifted off the ground, I had a strange feeling of anticipation, wondering what would happen to this lone American. When the jet landed and came to a stop, the stairs were rolled up to the door, but as I moved towards the exit, the head flight attendant asked me to let all the Egyptian citizens off first.

As the last passenger to leave the plane and walk down the stairs, I saw why I was detained. A military escort was waiting on the tarmac to go with me to pick up my luggage and take me through immigration, customs, and then into a black car waiting in the taxi lane. The military police drove me to a downtown hotel where I was checked in and told not leave the premises until my departure two weeks later.

To be continued…