Ben Carter
Candles have been used as a source of light and in religious celebrations for thousands of years, with the earliest use of candles often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians. However, there is little evidence of candle usage in pre-Columbian America. While the Inuit and the northwest coast peoples of America used lamps and candles of a sort, it is unclear whether candles were used by the Inca. The Incas did not have a written form of language, but they did keep records using quipus, which were knotted cords. Unfortunately, these quipus do not provide any information on whether the Incas used candles. While it is possible that the Incas may have used candles, given the lack of evidence, it is unlikely that candle usage was widespread in Inca society.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Use of candles | No evidence of pre-Columbian Inca use of candles |
| Lamps | No evidence of pre-Columbian Inca use of lamps |
| Candles introduced by | Spanish introduced candles to at least one pre-Columbian Indian culture |
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What You'll Learn
Candles in pre-Columbian America
Candles have been used as a source of light and in celebrations for over 5,000 years, though little is known about their origin. The earliest use of candles is often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who made rushlights by soaking the pithy core of reeds in animal fat. However, these did not have wicks. The ancient Romans are generally credited with developing the wicked candle by dipping rolled papyrus in tallow or beeswax. Candles were also used by the ancient Greeks and Chinese within the first millennium BC.
In pre-Columbian America, there is little evidence of candles or candle holders. The Inuit people of the northwest coast used a local fish called the Eulachon or candlefish, which contains a lot of oil. The Inuit would insert a wick into a dried fish and light it. Apart from this example, there are no references to candles in early America. Lamps were certainly used in the arctic, and there are some artefacts from post-Columbian America that show lamps and candle holders.
There is one early 17th-century source that states that candles and lamps were introduced to at least one pre-Columbian Indian culture by the Spanish. However, the few sources that mention pre-Columbian lamps are generally not considered credible. Given the vastness of the area and the numerous cultures involved, it cannot be said with certainty that lamps and candles did not exist in pre-Columbian America. However, their usage was definitely not widespread.
Candles were made from various materials in different parts of the world. In Europe, they were primarily made from tallow and beeswax from the Roman period until the modern era. In China, textual evidence suggests that candles may have been made from whale fat in the Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE). Japanese candle-making techniques are similar to Chinese methods, but they also developed a method of moulding candles using paper tubes. In India, wax from boiling cinnamon was used for temple candles, and in Tibet, yak butter was used for candles.
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Lamps in pre-Columbian America
Lamps and candles have been a source of light and have illuminated celebrations for over 5,000 years. The earliest use of candles is often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who made rushlights or torches by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. Candles were also used by the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Chinese within the first millennium BC.
While lamps and candles were used in the Old World since the Palaeolithic period, there is little evidence of their use in pre-Columbian America. One source mentions a 'small soapstone lamp' find in the context of the Maya Indians of southern Yucatan and northern British Honduras, but concludes that it is post-Columbian as the style is "totally unlike" that of ancient Maya culture.
There is some evidence that lamps and candles were introduced to at least one pre-Columbian Indian culture by the Spanish. Jacques Soustelle's Daily Life of the Aztecs (1961) mentions the use of resinous torches of pine wood (ocotl) for indoor lighting, and huge braziers piled with resinous wood for public lighting during religious ceremonies. However, these do not fall under the typical definition of a lamp or candle.
The lack of evidence for lamps and candles in pre-Columbian America may be due to the vastness of the area and the huge timescale and cultural diversity involved. It is possible that lamps and candles were used by certain cultures or regions, but their usage was not widespread.
The Inca Empire, which was a highly stratified society ruled by an emperor with the aid of an aristocratic bureaucracy, had highly developed technology and architecture. However, there is no specific mention of their use of lamps or candles. The Inca economy was based on agriculture, with corn (maize), potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and other crops as staples. They had a vast network of roads throughout their empire, comprising two north-south roads with many interconnecting links. Their religious institutions, which included elaborate forms of divination and the sacrifice of humans and animals, were destroyed by the Spanish conquerors' campaign against idolatry.
In conclusion, while lamps and candles were used in other parts of the world during the time of the Inca Empire, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that they were a part of pre-Columbian Inca culture. The lack of evidence may be due to the absence of written records within the Inca Empire, as well as the vast cultural diversity and timescale involved in pre-Columbian America as a whole.
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Inca language and communication
While there is some evidence that the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Chinese used candles, there is little to no evidence of candles in pre-Columbian America. The earliest use of candles is often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who made rushlights or torches by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat.
Now, onto the topic of Inca language and communication. The Incas did not have a writing system, but they did have a complex system of communication. The official language of the Inca Empire was Quechua or Runasimi, which means "people's language". It is a family of languages that originated in central Peru and then spread to other countries in the Andes. Quechua was the primary language family within the Inca Empire, and it is still spoken by many people in Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador today. The Incas also had their own ethnic language, which is thought to have been closely related to or a dialect of Puquina, a language spoken by the extinct Tiwanaku civilization.
Quechua was taught to all communities within the empire, even those resistant to Inca rule, and it was used to communicate with the Inca lords and mitma colonists. However, most communities retained their native languages as well. The Incas also used a system of knotted strings called Quipus to record information such as dates, numbers, and historical narratives. These Quipus were transported by messengers called Chasquis along a network of royal roads called Qhapac ñan, which covered more than 30,000 kilometers. The Chasquis also used this road network to send important messages and transport goods.
Inca communication throughout the empire was primarily oral, and it was complex. The Incas ordered the construction and improvement of the road network, which facilitated the movement of people and information. The lack of a writing system may have contributed to the oral nature of Inca communication, with stories and events being passed down through spoken word and visual art.
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Inca religion and rituals
The Inca Empire was a highly stratified society, with the emperor ruling with the help of an aristocratic bureaucracy. The Incas did not have a written form of language, but they did have their own ethnic language, which was closely related to or a dialect of Puquina. They visually recorded narratives through paintings on vases and cups (qirus), which were usually accompanied by geometric patterns known as toqapu. These patterns may have served as a form of written communication, but this is not clear.
The Inca religion was a highly organized state religion, combining features of animism, fetishism, and the worship of nature gods. The pantheon was headed by Inti, the sun god, and included Viracocha, a creator god and culture hero, and Apu Illapu, the rain god. Worship of the sun god and the rendering of service were required of subject peoples, but their native religions were tolerated.
Inca rituals included divination, and the sacrifice of humans and animals. These religious institutions were destroyed by the Spanish conquest and its campaign against idolatry.
Marriage was crucial for survival in the Inca Empire, with everyday life centering around the balance of male and female tasks. Marriages began on a trial basis, with both men and women having a say in the longevity of the marriage. Once the marriage was final, divorce was only possible if the couple did not have a child together.
Women were known as weavers, and their tasks included spinning, watching the children, weaving cloth, cooking, brewing chichi, preparing fields for cultivation, planting seeds, harvesting, weeding, hoeing, herding, and carrying water. Men weeded, plowed, participated in combat, helped in the harvest, carried firewood, built houses, herded llamas and alpacas, and spun and wove when necessary.
The Incas built a vast network of roads throughout their empire, with two north-south roads and many interconnecting links. The use of this system was strictly limited to government and military business, and a well-organized relay service carried messages in the form of knotted cords called quipu at a rate of 150 miles a day.
While there is no evidence of candles in pre-Columbian Inca society, lamps were used in the pre-Columbian Arctic, and a local fish called Eulachon or candlefish was used as a source of light.
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Inca architecture and technology
While there is no clear evidence that the Incas used candles, there is evidence of their remarkable achievements in architecture and engineering. Inca architecture is the most significant pre-Columbian architecture in South America. The Incas inherited an architectural legacy from Tiwanaku, founded in the 2nd century B.C.E. in present-day Bolivia. A defining feature of Inca architecture was the use of the topography and existing materials of the land as part of the design. The Incas also developed an extensive road system spanning most of the western length of the continent, a testament to their engineering prowess.
Inca buildings were constructed from fieldstones or semi-worked stone blocks and dirt set in mortar, with adobe walls also being common. The materials used depended on the region; for example, on the coast, large rectangular adobe blocks were used, while in the Andes, local stones were utilised. The most common shape in Inca architecture was the rectangular building without internal walls, roofed with wooden beams and thatch. There were several variations of this basic design, including gabled roofs and rooms with one or two long open sides. Rectangular buildings served various functions, from humble houses to grand palaces and temples.
The Inca empire's capital, Cusco (or Cuzco), showcases the impressive masonry skills of the Incas, with surviving walls of perfectly fitted stones set without mortar or iron tools. The precision, often within millimetres, was achieved through various techniques, including grinding stones against each other or pounding them with smaller stones. The city of Cusco features large kancha compounds, which consist of three or more rectangular buildings symmetrically arranged around a central courtyard. Kancha served various purposes, including administrative functions, workshops, temples, and accommodation.
Inca architecture is known for its impressive stonework, with finely worked stones interlocking to form a precise arrangement. The stone used was typically one of three types: Yucay limestone, green Sacsayhuaman diorite porphyry, or black andesite. Exterior walls commonly slope inwards as they rise, giving the building a distinctive trapezoid form, with doorways, windows, and niches repeating this motif. The trapezoid shape creates optical effects, making walls seem taller and thicker than they are.
Inca settlements were rarely fortified, as warfare was generally conducted through set-piece battles and political, economic, and cultural means. However, some sites, such as Ollantaytambo, were fortified with large block terrace walls as a defence against the Spanish conquest. The Incas also constructed suspension bridges from biodegradable materials and developed sophisticated drainage and canal systems to manage the heavy rainfall at high-altitude sites like Machu Picchu.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no evidence to suggest that the Inca civilization used candles.
The Incas did not have a written form of language, so we cannot be certain what they used for light. However, we know that they had advanced technology, so it is possible that they used torches or lamps.
Yes, ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians, Romans, Greeks, and Chinese used candles.
Ancient candles were made from various materials, including plant fibers, animal fat, and beeswax.
