The History of Candles

In the beginning of man-kind the only source of light was sunlight or firelight. Candles delivered an entirely new perspective, allowing us to travel and complete tasks in the night. Up until the 1900’s candles were the only source of light other than sunlight (“The history of candles and candle making from candlewic” 1). Over history there have been many changes and advancements in the candle making process and its uses.

At the very start of civilization cavemen were discovering the brand new idea of transporting fire. Once they realized saturating wood with left over animal fat fueled the flame, improvements of the idea appeared quickly. One of the very first improvements the cavemen partook in was covering the interior walls of the cave in fat soaked sticks and wedging them into the cracks of the cave walls. This extinguished darkness and gave them a more convenient lighting system (Schutz 11).

All at once many civilizations were discovering a new design of candles that resembled candles made today. It is thought the Roman Empire created the first candle that is similar to our modern day candle. These candles were molded in two different forms, one with similarities to a torch and the other with a twisted wick. The first, a torch-like candle, had a “… predominant fibrous center and was used as a portable light for night travelers” (Schutz 12). The other had a thin core of fibers that were twisted and braided together. This type of candle was mainly used inside homes for concentrated light (Schutz 12). These early candles were made from extracted animal fat called tallow and were made by a simple process of melting and pouring the fat into a mold. The distinction that made it more like our modern day candles was by insertin...

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...affin has become the most common material used for making candles today, allowing it to be widely known and inexpensive (Schutz 13).

Even though candles are not as popular today, and certainly not used as often, they have been an important part of the world’s history. Without them, our history would have turned out a lot differently and our activities definitely would have been hindered. The breakthrough of candles allowed us to move forward as a race and make the advancements of man that much brighter.

Works Cited

Dyde, Jess. “Candle Making by Jess Dyde.” 1 0f 7. 10/25/2013. www.history.uk.

“History of Candle Making.” 1 of 2. 10/25/13. www.naturesgardencandles.com.

Schutz , Walter. Getting Started in Candle Making. New York, NY: Collier Books, 1972. Print.

“The History of Candles and Candle Making from Candlewick.” 1 of 3. 10/25/13.

www.candlewick.com.