The Incense Burner
The Incense Burner, or "the Charcoal Incense Burner" or "al-madkhanah", is one of the symbols of hospitality in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and it is a device containing a square base with sides sloping inward, supporting a square cup with sides sloping outward. Often, the base is carved, especially if wooden, to form legs for the incense burner, and the cup of the incense burner is lined with thin metal sheets that can withstand the heat of the glowing charcoal.
The incense burner a symbol of generosity and elegance
The incense burner is commonly used in Saudi society, as ancestors used incense for hundreds of years, and no Saudi home is without the charcoal incense burner from which the scents of amber and oud emanate after being burned with red-hot charcoal, perfuming the atmosphere and spreading fragrant scents that are the most commonly used.
The incense burner has become part of social culture, considered a symbol of high taste, elegance, and generous hospitality, containing in its depths a mixture of incense and oud wood to permeate the surroundings, scenting clothes, bodies, and guests.
Types of incense burners
There are ancient incense burners made of clay, metal, or iron, and various shapes of incense burners have been created by local communities, including wooden ones and those made of aluminum and glass. They have evolved further to no longer require charcoal and coal, now operating with electricity.
The incense burner takes a similar design, coming in the shape of an inverted pyramid relying on four supports and adorned with many diverse decorations of copper, bronze, and glass.
The use of the incense burner in architectural style
As part of societal culture, some Saudis insist on placing an incense burner sculpture on the fences of houses and in rest areas, while some municipality provinces place a large incense burner sculpture at the city entrance to preserve authentic Arab customs of honoring guests.
The incense burner inspired architects to create buildings in the shape of a traditional incense burner; for example, King Fahd's Fountain in Jeddah Governorate, in Makkah Province, known as the tallest fountain in the world, presents a design that mimics the traditional golden incense burner.
The craft of incense burner making is mainly practiced by craftsmen in most Saudi regions, the artisans' expo, and in most Saudi national day celebrations.