Shemen Afarsimon is an oil that was used to add fragrance to sacrifices and anoint priests, prophets and kings in biblical times. In April 1988, archeologists discovered a small jug of oil in the Qumran region that some believe is the oil used in the Temple. The find was announced by the New York Times on February 15, 1989, and a feature article was published in National Geographic Magazine in October of that year. The biblical afarsimon was considered very valuable, and worth its weight in gold. The ancient Jewish community of Ein Gedi was known for its cultivation of the afarsimon.