The Magi -- Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh [30min]

No-one knows exactly where they came from, how long they took to get there, whether they were kings or not, nor even how many there were, but we do know that they arrived in Bethlehem. The Magi, as outlined in the Gospel of St Matthew, are surely some of the most famous travellers in Western history. Little is known about the reality behind the myths of the wise men from the east. To explore the story of the Magi and their precious gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, and to discover the connection between the little baby Jesus and the Queen of Sheba, presenter Sandi Toksvig -- traveller, barrister, raconteur, novelist -- is joined by Dr Helen Bond, Senior Lecturer in New Testament Language, Literature and Theology at Edinburgh University; Juliet Highet, photographer and author of a new book entitled Frankincense: Oman's Gift to the World (Prestel Verlag); Andrew Dalby, linguist, historian and author of Dangerous Tastes: The Story of Spices (British Museum Press); and Richard Herrington, mineral exploration geologist and co-author of Gold (Natural History Museum).