Physical evidence of the use of incense has been found by archaeologists around the globe. Historians have found textual evidence in ancient texts like the Bible and "The Epic of Gilgamesh" from Sumeria.
In the beginning, stick incense was made from splinters of aromatic wood like sandalwood. Stick incense orginated in China during the Ming dynasty, which ran from 1368 to 1644.
Incense is made largely of wood pulp, aromatic powder and a binding agent. However, stick incense can be made another way. Wooden "punks" are sometimes soaked in aromatic oils to create the incense sticks. Incense sticks come in a variety of scents and are often dyed to help identify their scent.