GALBANO (Hebrew: hellenbân, Greek: χαλβάνη) —
A resin extracted from the ferula galbaniflua of the family
Umbelliferae, with a strong and lasting odor.
In antiquity (cf. Pliny, Hist. nat., XII, 54, 56) this
product was used in various perfume compositions. In the
Bible (Ex. 30:34–38) galbanum is described as one of the
ingredients of the sacred incense destined to burn in the
sanctuary. It was probably used, despite its acrid and
unpleasant odor, as a fixative, a property recognized by
Pliny (op. cit., XIII, 2). Galbanum was widely used as a
medicine (cf. Celsus, De medicina, III, 20–21; IV, 8) or as
a means of repelling animals (Pliny, op. cit., XII, 56;
Columella, VIII, 5, 18). In Sir. 24:21 (Greek 15) galbanum
is presented as a figure of divine antiquity.