Red sandalwood
Archimandrite Nikifor’s Biblical Encyclopedia
(1 Kings 10:11, 12; 2 Chron. 9:10, 11) — in Solomon’s time, red sandalwood was brought in abundance from Ophir together with gold and precious stones, on Hiram’s ships. It was used for the construction of the Temple and the palace, and for musical instruments. It was probably sandalwood, a tree growing in India and on the island of Ceylon, and highly prized in the East for its hardness, beautiful color, and suitability for a quick and brilliant polish.