History of Candles
Candles have been casted a light on
people’s progress for centuries. There is only a little
information about candle’s origin. Most written about history
of candles refer to development of rust lights or torches made
by soaking the pithy core of reeds in molten tallow by the
Ancient Egyptians, but this is not really the first time of
candle origin, as this rust light do not had wick like a
candle. The Romans had developed the wick candle, and used it
when travel at dark, gave light in the homes and placed of
worship at night.
Basically the main ingredient used by Romans is same with the
Egyptians, i.e. tallow which gathered from cattle or sheep
suet. Improvement of candles production was started when
beeswax was introduced as candle material at the middle ages.
This is because when beeswax based candle is burned, it will
result of neither non smoky flame nor an acrid odor. It will
give pure and clean burning, but it is quite expensive.
America’s first contribution on candle making, when colonial
women discovered a sweet-smelling wax that burned clean when
boiling the grayish green berries of bayberry. But soon, the
popularity of bayberry candles soon diminished because
extracting the wax from the bayberries was extremely
tedious.
In the late eighteenth century, the whaling industry growing
brought the first major change in candle-making since the
middle Ages, when spermaceti, a wax obtained by crystallizing
the spermaceti wax did not elicit a repugnant odor when burned.
Spermaceti wax was also found harder compared to both tallow
and beeswax. During summer heat, it did not soften or bend.
Historians note that spermaceti wax was used as material for
the first "standard
candles".
Most major developments affecting contemporary candle-making
occurred during the nineteenth century. In 1834, inventor
Joseph Morgan introduced a machine that allowed continuous
production of molded candles by the use of a cylinder which
featured a movable piston that ejected candles as they
solidified.
In 1850, candle making is further developed with the production
of paraffin wax made from coal shale and oil. Processed by
distilling the residues left after crude petroleum was refined,
it was found that the bluish-white wax burned cleanly, with no
unpleasant odor. The most important was its cost - paraffin wax
was more economical to produce compared to any preceding candle
fuel developed. And while low melting point of paraffin may
have posed a threat to its popularity, this problem can be
solved by the discovery of stearic acid. By the end of 19th
century, stearic acid was being produced in quantity which
gives hard and durable properties. By this period, most candles
being manufactured consisted of stearic acid and paraffin. In
1879, candle making declined because of introduction of the
light bulb, and a renewed popularity for candles emerged again
until the turn of the century.
Further candle manufacturing was enhanced during the first half
of the 20th century through the growth of U.S. oil and
meatpacking industries. With the increase of crude oil and meat
production, the by-products that are the basic ingredients of
contemporary candles -- paraffin and stearic acid also
increase.
Candles continue to grow in popularity and use, not only
majority as people’s source of light but today, candles
symbolize celebration, romance, accent décor, and define
ceremony -- continuing to cast a warm glow for all to
enjoy.
In 1996, soy candles were first introduced, and so far account
for only a small amount of candle sales overall.
| 
