Hyraceum () is the petrified and rock-like excrement composed of both urine and feces of the

rock hyrax The rock hyrax (; ''Procavia capensis''), also called dassie, Cape hyrax, rock rabbit, and (from some interpretations of a word used in the King James Bible) coney, is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East. Common ...

(''Procavia capensis'') and closely related species. The rock hyrax defecates in the same location over generations, which may be sheltered in caves. These locations form

middens A midden is an old dump for domestic waste. It may consist of animal bones, human excrement, botanical material, mollusc shells, potsherds, lithics (especially debitage), and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupati ...

that are composed of hyraceum and hyrax pellets, which can be petrified and preserved for over 50,000 years. These middens form a record of past climate and vegetation. It is also a sought-after material that has been used in both traditional South African medicine and perfumery.

Hyraceum in perfumery

Hyraceum at the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

The material hardens and ages until it becomes a fairly sterile, rock-like material (also referred to as "Africa Stone") that contains compounds giving it an animalic, deeply complex fermented scent that combines the elements of

musk Musk is a class of aromatic substances commonly used as base notes in perfumery. They include glandular secretions from animals such as the musk deer, numerous plants emitting similar fragrances, and artificial substances with similar odors. ' ...

castoreum Castoreum is a yellowish exudate from the castor sacs of mature beavers used in combination with urine to territorial marking, scent mark their territory. Both beaver sexes have a pair of castor sacs and a pair of anal glands, located in two c ...

civet A civet () is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term ''civet'' applies to over a dozen different species, mostly from the family Viverridae. Most of the species's div ...

tobacco Tobacco is the common name of several plants in the genus '' Nicotiana'' of the family Solanaceae, and the general term for any product prepared from the cured leaves of these plants. More than 70 species of tobacco are known, but the ...

and

agarwood Agarwood, aloeswood, eaglewood, gharuwood or the Wood of Gods, commonly referred to as oud or oudh (from , ), is a fragrant, dark and resinous wood used in incense, perfume, and small Woodworking, hand carvings. It forms in the heartwood of ...

. The material is harvested without disturbing the animals by digging strata of the brittle, resinous, irregular, blackish-brown stone; because animals are not harmed in its harvesting, it is often an ethical substitute for

deer musk Deer musk is a substance with a persistent odor, obtained from the caudal glands of the male musk deer. Although more commonly referred to as " musk", the term itself is often used to describe a wide variety of "musky" substances from other anim ...

and civet, which require killing or inflicting pain on the animal. Hyraceum accumulates extremely slowly, making it essentially a non-renewable resource. Considering that hyraceum – accumulating in the form of rock hyrax middens – is in many cases the only available source for information regarding climate and environmental change in arid regions of Africa and Arabia, its collection for commercial sale has been criticized in scientific circles as the destruction of a critical resource that could help to understand the impact of climate change in sensitive regions.

Hyraceum in traditional South African medicine

After it has been fossilized hyraceum has been used as a traditional folk medicine in South Africa for treating epilepsy. One clinical study of 14 samples of the material collected at various geographical locations in South Africa tested the material for its affinity for the GABA-

benzodiazepine receptor The GABAA receptor (GABAAR) is an ionotropic receptor and ligand-gated ion channel. Its endogenous Ligand (biochemistry), ligand is γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Accurate regul ...

, a neurologic receptor site that is effective in the treatment of seizures with benzodiazapines such as

diazepam Diazepam, sold under the brand name Valium among others, is a medicine of the benzodiazepine family that acts as an anxiolytic. It is used to treat a range of conditions, including anxiety disorder, anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal syndr ...

and

lorazepam Lorazepam, sold under the brand name Ativan, Tavor among others, is a benzodiazepine medication. It is used to treat anxiety (including anxiety disorders), insomnia, severe agitation, active seizures including status epilepticus, alcoh ...

. Four of the hyraceum samples assayed positive for having an affinity for the receptor sites; however, extracts in water were inactive.

References

{{Reflist Animal waste products Hyraxes Perfume ingredients Science and technology in South Africa Traditional African medicine

Hyraceum in perfumery

Hyraceum in traditional South African medicine

See also

References