Collection of antique perfume bottles on wooden shelves, evoking the history of perfumery

The Queen of Sheba is traditionally associated with the ancient kingdom believed to have controlled key stretches of the frankincense and myrrh trade routes through southern Arabia, and her famous biblical and Quranic visit to King Solomon, bearing valuable gifts, is often linked by historians to establishing or reinforcing trade relationships tied to these prized aromatic resins.

What history and legend suggest

The kingdom of Sheba, generally placed in the region of modern-day Yemen or parts of the Horn of Africa depending on the historical tradition followed, sat along or near the routes used to move frankincense, discussed in our related answer on why frankincense was so valuable in the ancient world, from producing regions to major markets in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and beyond. Controlling or facilitating that trade would have brought the kingdom significant wealth and influence, which lines up with the biblical and Quranic descriptions of the Queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon involving lavish gifts, including aromatics and spices.

It’s worth being honest that much of this connects historical geography with religious and legendary texts rather than being fully verified through archaeology alone, but the broad picture, southern Arabia’s kingdoms profiting from control of the incense trade routes, is well supported by historical and archaeological evidence more generally. Our history of perfume guide explores the ancient incense trade in depth, and the complete guide to perfume has broader historical context.