Business first: This unedited audio snippet is intended to accompany both the translation of the Orphic Hymn of Hygeia and the accompanying live chat on the Hymn of Hygeia on 1/12/25, 2pm EST (to be uploaded in the days after the live event). Link for the Live Chat is at the end of the Hymn of Hygeia post.
There has been much speculation, both scholarly and in occult communities, about what exactly the Orphics meant when they called for the incense “manna” (which is found not just in the Hymn of Hygeia, but in several other hymns in the collection). This little audio snippet and accompanying notes below is designed to help folks understand not just “manna” itself, but the larger significance and logic of the Orphic Hymn incense pairings.
Bare Bones Summary & Links
(Audio snippet contains more detailed info)
”Manna” can refer to at least three possible incense types:
1) Any incense composed of powder or small granules (as opposed to, say, larger globules of resin, or whole leaves of plants). Sometimes in the Orphic Hymns we get an instruction to use “frankincense manna” (Gk: libanomanna), distinguishing it from simple frankincense, which would have been in larger resinous globules. See, for instance, the ancient Greek herbalist Dioscorides’ Materia Medica 1.83, where he discusses the proper way to prepare frankincense manna.
2) A particular type of Mediterranean flowering Ash tree (Fraxinus Ornus), whose bark exudes a sweet sap the Greeks called “honey,” and which was particularly cultivated in Sicily during the late summer months of the year. (See this fascinating article on the resurgence of Manna production in Sicily, or here and here for more specific botanical details about the tree.)
3) The plant “Camelthorn,” native to the Near East, that produces a waxy resin on its leaves, and is used both for incense and folk medicine. This plant is possibly mentioned in Dioscorides, 3.146. (That is, scholars are not sure which plant he mentions, but Camelthorn is one of the candidates.) See also the discussion by John Wyatt,” Lilies of the Egyptian Field: The Flowers & Plants of Ancient Egypt & Sinai.” in A. Maravelia and N. Guilhou, eds., Environment & Religion in Ancient and Coptic Egypt: Sensing the Cosmos through the Eyes of the Divine. Archaeopress Egyptology, 2020.)
My own tendency is to think that, given the Orphic love for wordplay, “manna” is used in both of the first two senses. (Possibly the third, but probably less likely so, given my theory that the Orphic Hymns originated in a Greek-speaking Sicilian or Southern Italian context).
To find out more about the LOGIC of Orphic incense indications, and specifically about manna and its relationship to Hygiene, listen to the audio clip or read the transcript!
Finally, a big shout-out to Graham Snyder, who shared with me his very helpful charts and analysis of the various incenses used in the Orphic Hymns. If/when I receive permission to share them here, I will.
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