PRACTICES OF FAITH: The coastal shrines of ancient South Arabia

This chapter examines centrality of frankincense in the religious rituals performed in the shrines of ancient South Arabia where it was produced. It explores the ritual linkages between these shrines and argues how frankincense was an important ritual commodity, which circulated through the region along with pilgrims who travelled between these shrines and was not merely an item of luxury trade that was only exported outside ancient South Arabia. The chapter also discusses the architectural layout of the three shrines at Khor Rori and examines how much they conform to the patterns of other Hadramawt shrines and give an idea of the rituals performed in these sanctuaries, especially those involving frankincense. The objects found from the shrines of Khor Rori indicate widespread interactions with the outside world and a cosmopolitan character of the city. It has attempted to study the interrelated web of interactions of a shrine of ancient South Arabia as it was integrated in various regional sacred networks.