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Candles
came about because of the necessity for humans
to see during the night and for the ability to
carry light from room to room. Candlelight was
the only source of light, before the development
of electricity.
Even though candles are mentioned in the
Bible, there is little known about their exact
origin. Ancient Egyptian candleholders have been
discovered that dated back to the Fourth
Century, and we do know that the first candles
were made by dipping reeds into animal fat and
were more closely related to torches than
candles because they did not contain wicks.
The Romans are the first recorded civilization
to use wicked candles to illuminate their
banquets, ceremonies, and homes. These ancient
candles were made from tallow and their wicks
were made of papyrus strands twisted together.
The Romans realized that torches burned too
quickly, and soon discovered that by twisting
threads of wood together produced a wick that
burned slower.
The Colonial Americans dipped wicks into lard,
such as bear grease, deer suet, or moose fat to
make their candles. These candles were greasy to
the touch, had produced a bad odor when burned,
they also melted in the summertime. They soon
discovered that excreting oils from bayberry's
it formed a wax that when burned had a sweet
smell and withstood the summer heat. This was
probably when scented candles were developed.
Beeswax was discovered to be even better.
Beeswax however was very expensive and used
mainly by the wealthy and soon became used as a
status symbol.
Over the years, a constant development in the
technology of wax, and the technology for making
candles progressed. In 1834, Joseph Morgan
produced the first candle-making machine,
creating the ability to mass-produce candles. By
1850, paraffin wax was made from oil and coal
shale. This revolutionized candle making,
because paraffin wax was inexpensive, becoming
the most popular ingredient for candle wax.
When the light bulb was invented in 1879, the
function of a candle changed drastically. No
longer were candles needed as a source of light,
but were still needed for ceremonies,
decoration, spirituality, and other traditional
uses that they are used for today. Candles will
always be a beautiful source of light. As long
as humans maintain a strong connection to fire
and light, candlelight will always be valued for
their beauty. Electricity may have replaced
candles as the primary light source it cannot
replace them in their role in decoration,
festive occasions, or the calm and sanctity they
evokes in religious ceremonies. Nor will
electricity replace candles for the mood and
warmth they create in us and in our homes. So
how about having a romantic dinner by
candlelight or burn a candle in your kitchen to
warm your home with love.
Light a candle in your living room and welcome
people into your home.
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