Censer

Overview

Censerts, or thuribles, are hand-held tools for burning aromatic mixtures like incense, slid resins and solidified oils. They originated from stationary aroma burners used in temples. Priests from both Aurial's Church and Bagurial's Kirk often use them in their religious practices, rituals and services. Censers come in various sizes, shapes and designs, but they all share one basic concept - a burner vessel attached through chains to a handle.

Origins

Censers originated from much older aroma burners, usually mounted on walls, columns, stands or any other suitable place at temples. They share the same purpose - to burn aromatic mixtures and create an area saturated with aroma. Through time, clerics noticed that the strength and the effect of blessings, prayers, and other rites depended not solely on the sent of the burnt mixture but also on proximity to the burner. So, some priests began dismounting and holding in hand during the most essential parts of ceremonies. This greatly enhanced the overall effect of rites but had its drawbacks. The burners were too heavy, unhandy and uncomfortable for clerics to hold them for prolonged periods. Also, they tend to spread sparks and even small flames toward the crowd when swung. To solve those problems, priests and craftsmen joined efforts and developed the first censers - a smaller, lighter version of burners, which was much more comfortable for hand-held usage. These new tools consist of a small enclosed cylindric vessel, the cup and lid, attached to a convenient handle through three chains. The cup and lid featured multiple openings, named windows, large enough for air to flow but not enough for sparks and flames to leave. Censers had their own issues, like limited fuel reserve, the frequent smudge of the windows, and the need for the censer to be completely cold before refuelling.

Design:

Censers follow the same basic conception of three-element design from their very first introduction. This provides the main required functionality - the censer to be swung around spreading aromas, fragrance and holiness. However, many priests and craftsmen experimented with the basic design and modified it with various new components and functionality. Nowadays, a priest may choose between multiple options to find or create the censer that best suits her or his requirements.

1. Elements:

1.1. The Cup

The cup - or the burning vessel - is the burning heart of the censor, its main component. It holds the fuel and is the place where the burning happens. The construction materials vary but always present some metal. Usually, the cheaper and mass-produced ones are made from brass, bronze or steel and have inner ceramic or earthware chambers. More expensive features other metals and alloys with higher melting points. Contrary to public belief, silver, gold, aurinium, and other "noble" materials are rarely chosen for the main body. However, they may still be present in the decorations and ornamentation.

1.1.1. Fuel chamber

Often, the fuel chamber and the burning cup are the very same element. However, on some occasions, they are distinct components permanently or removablely attached together. The most common case is when the cup is made from a material that is not very heat-resistant and is expected to burn high-temperature mixtures. So, an inner fuel chamber, which can withstand higher temperatures, is presented. Usually, ceramic or earthenware is the material of choice. War priests and other supernatural-hunting clerics sometimes utilize removable fuel chambers to quickly change between different mixtures or refuel the censer.

1.1.2. Cup lid

The lid is movably attached to the cup, and the two components are considered a single element. They are always made from the same material, and if the fueld chamber is present, the lid usually has some kind of protective pad or plate underneath. Most commonly, both the lid and the cup are threaded and screwed directly to each other. However, there are various different ways of attaching together, the most common of which are lid-through pins, external screws, clamps, etc.

1.1.3. Cup's bottom

The cup's bottom is not a separate component but a bottom-most region of the cup. However, it is worth mentioning as a separate entry along with the lid because of its importance. Usually, it is shaped as a down-pointing cone regardless of the cup's actual shape. The bottom always excludes fuel chamber and starts at the imaginary line below it. It also features windows, but their size may be much larger than the actual cup if the censer is expected to swing at half-circles only. The openings in the bottom directly affect the burning speed of the mixture, and often, there is some mechanism to regulate the air intake. Many have a large ring attached at the top, which is used to hand the censer upside-down when it is not in use.

Item type

Religious / Ritualistic