This ornament is 5½ inches tall and 3 inches wide. The scene is the Three Kings in front of a very ornate stone wall with a jeweled arch. Balthazar is kneeling and Caspar and Melchior are standing on either side of him. Balthazar has a silver glitter crown, dark emerald cape, closed with a red jewel, over an ochre colored robe. Gaspar has a tall gold crown and a teal blue and gold cape over a deep red robe. Melchoir has a gold circlet with studded with small red jewels, deep red robe with a dark blue cape over one shoulder. There are 5 plastic jewels around the antique gold arched wall. There are 3 red jewels and two green ones. The ornament is sprinkled in gold glitter. Select this link to view our Nativity Ornaments.
Gold.
Gold has been known and highly valued since prehistoric times. It may have been the first metal used by humans and was valued for ornamentation and rituals. Egyptian hieroglyphs from as early as 2600 BC describe gold, which king Tushratta of the Mitanni claimed was "more plentiful than dirt" in Egypt. Egypt and Nubia had the resources to make them major gold producing areas for much of history. Large mines also occurred across the Red Sea in what is now Saudi Arabia. Gold is also mentioned frequently in the Old Testament, starting with Genesis 2:11 and is included with the gifts of the magi in the first chapters of Matthew New Testament. The Book of Revelation 21:21 describes the city of New Jerusalem as having streets "made of pure gold, clear as crystal". Medieval kings were inaugurated under the signs of sacred oil and a golden crown, the latter symbolizing the eternal shining light of heaven and thus a Christian king's divinely inspired authority. Select this link to view our Nativity Christmas Ornaments.
Frankincense.
The gift of the wise man Gaspar to the baby Jesus, it is a symbol of Christ’s divinity and worship. Also known as olibanum, Frankincense is a fragrant resin that comes from the sap of the boswellia trees, which are found in Ethiopia, India, Somalia and Arabia and has long been used as incense in religious services. Select this link to view our Nativity Scene Sets.
Myrrh.
Anciently Myrrh was used as a medicine, in the embalming process. It was burned to fumigate sick rooms and for use as incense. The oil was used in perfumes and lotions and was one of the ingredients in the anointing oils in ancient temple services. Arabia supplied the Mediterranean and Asia with Myrrh and Frankincense which became so highly valued and difficult to obtain that it was a luxury which could only be afforded by the very wealthy. Select this link to view our Krebs Glas Wise Men.
Meaning of Gifts of Three Wise Men.
Many different theories of the meaning and symbolism of the gifts have been advanced. They generally break down into two groups:
- They are all ordinary gifts for a king — myrrh being commonly used as an anointing oil, frankincense as a perfume, and gold as a valuable.
- They are prophetic — gold as a symbol of kingship on earth, frankincense (an incense) as a symbol of priestship, and myrrh, used as an embalming oil, as a symbol of death.
- Sometimes these are described more generally as gold symbolizing virtue, frankincense symbolizing prayer, and myrrh symbolizing suffering.