Chloe Adams
Candles have been used for over two millennia, and while they are no longer a necessity for illumination, they are still used for functional, symbolic, and aesthetic purposes. The earliest candles were made by repeatedly dipping rolled papyrus in tallow or beeswax, and they were used to light homes, aid travellers, and in religious ceremonies. The ancient Romans are often credited with the creation of the candle, but evidence suggests that the ancient Egyptians, Japanese, and Chinese also used wicked candles. The materials used to make candles have evolved over time, from plant materials dipped in animal fat to the use of moulds in the 14th century, and the industrial manufacturing techniques introduced in the 19th century.
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What You'll Learn
Early candles were made of wicks soaked in animal fat
The use of candles dates back to ancient times, with the earliest known use attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who made rushlights or torches by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. These rushlights lacked a wick, a key component of true candles. The Ancient Romans are generally credited with developing wicked candles before the Egyptians by dipping rolled papyrus repeatedly in melted tallow or beeswax. Other ancient civilisations also developed wicked candles using waxes made from available plants and insects.
In the Middle Ages, beeswax candles were introduced in Europe, offering a significant improvement over tallow candles. Beeswax burned cleaner and emitted a pleasant sweet smell, in contrast to the smoky flame and foul odour of tallow. However, beeswax was more challenging to obtain, making beeswax candles exclusive to the upper classes and the Church in Europe.
In the 18th century, the whaling industry brought about another significant change in candlemaking with the introduction of spermaceti, a wax derived from sperm whale oil. Spermaceti wax burned brighter and cleaner, and was harder than tallow or beeswax, making it more resistant to heat. The development of stearin wax in the 19th century by French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul, who discovered how to extract stearic acid from animal fatty acids, further improved candle quality.
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Ancient Egyptians made rushlights by soaking reed cores in animal fat
The use of candles can be traced back to ancient times, with the earliest known use attributed to the Ancient Egyptians. They made rushlights or torches, which were a primitive form of candle. Rushlights were made by soaking the dried pith or core of the rush plant (a type of reed) in animal fat or tallow. This process is where the name "rushlight" comes from.
Rushlights were an important innovation in human history as they demonstrated that light could be contained and transported, and that fire could be controlled and harnessed. They were also inexpensive to make and accessible to people of all economic classes. This made them a common source of light for ancient Egyptians, who used them in their homes and for religious celebrations.
The Ancient Egyptians were not the only ancient civilisation to develop candles. The Romans, for example, created true dipped candles using tallow and beeswax. However, these candles were expensive and so their use was limited to the wealthy. Oil lamps were more commonly used for lighting in Roman times.
Over time, candle-making techniques evolved and improved. In the Middle Ages, for example, beeswax candles were introduced in Europe. These burned cleaner and emitted a more pleasant smell than animal-based tallow. The use of moulds was introduced in the 14th century, and in the 19th century, French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul discovered how to extract stearic acid from animal fatty acids, leading to the development of stearin wax, which burned cleaner and harder than tallow or beeswax.
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Beeswax candles were introduced in Europe in the Middle Ages
Candles have been used as a source of light and in celebrations for thousands of years. The earliest use of candles is often attributed to the Ancient Egyptians, who made rushlights by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. However, these did not have wicks like true candles. The ancient Romans are generally credited with developing wicked candles by dipping rolled papyrus repeatedly in melted tallow or beeswax.
The process of making beeswax candles involves dipping or drawing a wick in molten wax or tallow, shaping it by hand by rolling soft wax around a wick, or pouring wax or tallow onto a wick to build up the candle. Beeswax was a byproduct of honey collection, and it was collected after honey had been extracted and purified by boiling it in seawater several times.
The use of beeswax candles in Europe may have been influenced by several factors. There is evidence of honey and wax being important trade items, with wax being imported into Europe from Spain, Eastern Europe (mainly Russia), and North Africa. Additionally, there is evidence of beekeeping and honey production in Europe during the Middle Ages, which would have provided the beeswax necessary for candle-making.
The adoption of beeswax candles in Europe may also have been influenced by the Silk Road trade route, as wax candles were already in use in other parts of the world, such as China during the Tang Dynasty. The growth of the whaling industry in the late 18th century brought another major change in candlemaking, with the availability of spermaceti, a wax derived from sperm whales, which burned brighter and harder than beeswax or tallow.
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In the 19th century, candles were mass-produced industrially
The 19th century saw several advancements in the candle-making industry, which led to the mass production of candles. The process of candle-making was industrialised in the mid-19th century, with the invention of machines that could produce candles continuously.
One of the key developments was the discovery of how to extract stearic acid from animal fatty acids in the 1820s. This led to the creation of stearin wax, which burned cleanly and was durable. Stearin candles remain popular in Europe today.
Another significant innovation came in 1834 when Joseph Morgan, a pewterer from Manchester, England, invented a machine that revolutionised candle-making. This machine allowed for the continuous production of moulded candles by using a cylinder with a movable piston to eject candles as they solidified. With this method, about 1,500 candles could be produced per hour, making candles more affordable for the general public.
During this time, candlemakers also started creating self-trimming" or "self-consuming" wicks by tightly braiding strands of cotton. This technique made the wicks curl over as they burned, maintaining the height of the wick and, by extension, the flame.
In the mid-1850s, chemists were able to separate paraffin from petroleum and refine it into paraffin wax, which burned cleanly and consistently, with no unpleasant odour. However, early paraffin wax had a low melting point, which was addressed by adding stearic acid.
The 19th century also saw the introduction of spermaceti, a wax derived from crystallised sperm whale oil, as a candle-making material. Spermaceti burned brighter and did not produce an unpleasant odour, making it preferable to tallow and beeswax.
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Ancient Greeks used small torches or candles in rituals
The use of candles in ancient times was often associated with rituals and religious ceremonies. The ancient Greeks, for example, used small torches or candles in rituals dedicated to the moon goddess, Artemis. This ritual involved offering moon-shaped honey cakes to Artemis, with the cakes lit up by small torches or candles to resemble the moon. This tradition is believed to have evolved into the modern-day custom of placing candles on birthday cakes.
The ancient Greeks also participated in the lampadephoria, a torch relay race that involved transporting a sacred flame to the altar of Hera during the Panathenaic Games. While the use of candles in ancient Greece is not extensively documented, it is known that they had access to both tallow and beeswax, which were used to make candles in other parts of the world. However, due to the abundance and low cost of olive oil, the ancient Greeks primarily used oil lamps for illumination rather than candles.
Oil lamps, which were small dishes filled with olive oil and a wick made of plant material or linen, were widely used in ancient Greece for practical lighting as well as in religious settings. These lamps were also used in ancient theatre to set the scene and light the way to events. They were often offered to temples as a blessing and were even buried with the dead.
The use of candles and oil lamps holds significant symbolic value in various cultures and religions. For example, in ancient Egypt, depictions of lit lamps or candles are associated with religious rituals and the procession of the pharaoh's coffin. Similarly, in ancient Greece, the lampadephoria relay race represented the sacred act of transporting a flame to the altar.
While the ancient Greeks may not have extensively used candles themselves, their rituals and traditions involving small torches or candles, such as the offerings to Artemis and the lampadephoria, have had a lasting impact on modern-day celebrations and the use of candles in ceremonial contexts.
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Frequently asked questions
Old candles were made from various forms of natural fat, tallow, and wax. In Europe, candles were primarily made from tallow and beeswax from the Roman period until the modern era. Beeswax candles were expensive and their use was limited to the wealthy.
The early candles were produced using a number of methods: dipping or drawing the wick in molten fat or wax repeatedly until it reached the desired size, building the candle by hand by rolling soft wax around a wick, or pouring fat or wax onto a wick to build up the candle.
The first candles were created by the Romans by dipping rolled papyrus in tallow or beeswax. However, evidence suggests that the ancient Egyptians, Japanese, and Chinese also used wicked candles.
The earliest use of candles dates back to 3000 B.C. in ancient Egypt.
