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Incense Burner

Incense burner, late 20th century AD, Brass, wood and enamel

This incense burner or, in Arabic, ‘Mubekara’, is made of brass, with a wooden handle, at the top of which is a model of a cedar tree, with green enamel leaves and brown trunk.  Incense is placed in the cup and the lid is closed when in use.  The lip of the cup is surrounded by semi-circular protrusions.  The scent of the burning incense comes out of the circular and oblong openings of the lid.  These openings are called fenestrations, which is a term derived from the Latin word ‘fenestra’, which means ‘window’.  Thus, the fenestrations are openings like windows into the interior of the object.  The burner also has triangular fenestrations around the base, which has a raised ring at its top.  The elaborate handle, which is attached to the centre of the stem, has volute, that is, spiral, decorations near where it joins the stem of the vessel and at the base of the handle.  Such an incense burner is important for use in the Maronite masses in the church of St Assia in the village of Toula.  The model of a cedar tree is a reference to the national symbol of Lebanon.