History of candles

Published: 01/30/2006 - Updated: 08/13/2019

It seems that the sail was taken relatively late for home lighting. The oldest written description appears in the Roman first century AD, and this new invention is considered a masterpiece. Made of tallow, a solid extract nearly colorless and tasteless vegetable or animal fat, the candles were also edible, and there are many stories about soldiers who, beset by hunger, devoured their candle rations without hesitation. Centuries later, the guardians of British lighthouses, isolated for periods of several months, made ingestion of candles a recognized professional practice.

Even the more expensive tallow candles required that every half hour, the charred end of the wick had to be taken without extinguishing the flame. A candle that was not subjected to this operation not only issued a small part of its capacity, but the flame burnt low, quickly melting tallow remaining. Indeed, in a candle that was left to burn by itself consumed only 5 percent of tallow, and the rest remained untapped. A castle, in which hundreds of candles burnt per week, required a team of servants responsible for the activity.

Until the seventeenth century, theater places had a boy to be entrusted with this task. Eloquent in this art, come from time to time on stage, sometimes coinciding with a moment of dramatic tension, cutting charred smoky candles. Although his entry was often ignored, if successfully finished the operation with all the candles, a devoted audience was satisfied. This difficult task almost ended on the seventeenth century, when it spread the use of beeswax candles, which is partially evaporated. The wax was three times more expensive than tallow, but it made the candles burning with a flame more alive.

The Catholic Church had already taken the luxury of wax candles, and the rich people used them on big occasions. Data relating to one of the great mansions in UK shows that during the winter of 1765, its residents consumed more than one hundred pounds of wax candles in a month.

In the following century, candles were the luxury of white and shiny wax, hard and yellow vegetable tallow from China, and the green candle, scented with bay leaf, used in the northeastern coast of North America.

It is said that the first candles were developed by the ancient Egyptians, who wore "Junco candles“ or torches of reeds soaking the melted tallow, however, the Romans were improved using the candles thus helped the passengers in the dark, and provided light to homes and places of worship. Like the Egyptians, the Romans used tallow from sheep and cattle as the main ingredient.

In the late eighteenth century, thanks to booming house of whales, the candles began to be made from the whales, obtained from the animal's head. Successful as the candles that were made with this material had no unpleasant odor.

The first candles were developed with tallow, animal fat which showed an unattractive black smoke, then this ingredient was replaced with beeswax, a costly item that could only be acquired by the clerics and the rich minority. In the mid-nineteenth century, the development of stearin as a chemical compound, originally produced from fat (Mineral) refined that produced major changes in the art of making candles, extended times of longer duration, hardness and colors became more opaque and smell good.

Around 1850 during the oil refining process, white wax was discovered which burned cleanly-blue and not unpleasant odor emitted, it is called paraffin wax, which soon replaced the materials used in the manufacture of candles.

In colonial times, the wax was obtained by boiling the berries of the wax tree, while burning cleanly, the retrieval process was too tedious, so their popularity declined. It was in the nineteenth century, when they begin to make candles in continuous production machines.

At present, the candles are lit to create a special atmosphere, as the occasion may be comfortable, warm, intimate and romantic. Also constitute an important resource for decorative worn during the holidays and other special celebrations, which began to permeate the energy that they transmit, because without doubt, a candle-lit atmosphere is surrounded by a halo that mysteriously get magical spells.

The origin of candles is as old as human civilization; its ancient use has always been associated with mystical purposes. In different cultures have been used as a means of communication with the gods, bearing the body of the candle (wax) and physical body of man, refers to the mind and spirit.

No matter what religious practices are, candles have always been present in temples, altars, palaces, homes, etc.

Candles have also been used to perform rituals such as protection of the home, the beloved attraction, prosperity, abundance, health, among others.

It has often been said that when a candle flame is blue or dark, a ghost or spirit is at home or in the vicinity. In Germany, a candle whose flame is divided and split, predicts death in the home, a candle that drop a spark into the air, you will soon come a letter to those who are sitting in front of or closer to it, there were three major occasions in which candles are lit: At birth, to ensure that evil spirits are kept away from the newborn and in Rome to put the child under the personal protection of the goddess Vesta. In marriage, to prevent "the evil eye" to ruin the future of the couple, while the lighted candles in death, were a safeguard, because then no demon would dare to steal the soul of died.

Auctions candles were very common in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and it is believed that there are still some today. Stuck a needle in a candle, an inch under the wick and the auction continues until the needle falls, the last offer made before the fall of the needle which was accepted.

Contrary to what is said, rituals with candles that are made are highly effective, since the lighting a candle is opening a door to another dimension, another higher astral plane, it is very important that when pledged to be a candle with a wooden match for the magic is complete when you turn it off and be with your fingertips to smother the flame. You should never blow it or there would be no magic.

Remember that candles can have flavor and color, each color gives off a vibration that is different for different charitable purposes.

In the past before the gas and electricity became the only means of energy for the world, people used only candles to produce artificial light.

Now, even though they are not very necessary, we like and use them to decorate or something special that draws us to them, the candles have properties to change the mood and atmosphere to create a spellbinding and highly beauty not only for decoration, also to make a good gift.

Formerly men used to light torches and sticks of wood with resin. The invention of the sails as such is due to the Etruscans, who were in the name of "cereus, cereus fanalis and cebaceus“. All of these names designated candles or wax candles, tallow, or fish with vegetable fibers wick as papyrus, rattan or burlap.

In light of the candles have been writing poems, scientific and philosophical treaties.

Candles most elegant and refined, made with beeswax, burn slowly, emanating a wonderful fragrance of honey: the simple, made with animal fat, smelled bad, but also light up.

In 1831 it was found through the purification stearin from tallow, which burns for a long time and without the odor.

In 1850, developing the petroleum, paraffin was obtained, the core product in the modern manufacture of candles.

But it was too late … in 1811 had already discovered the system to heat and light to electricity through a filament.

Since 1879, Thomas Alva Edison, the most prolific inventor of all times, he invented several devices that are indispensable in the present, including the bulb, the phonograph and the switch.

Former made extensive use of wax for the preparation of medicines, and in naval quarries, for sealing the timber for the construction of the hulls.

The candles were the regular lighting in the home and placed in the tombs and altars.

They reflected with wax figures of men, animals and deities family, votive statuettes, dolls and flowers.

The wax was used as material for sculptures and sketches (David by Michelangelo, Cellini of Perseus).

At present, candles, candlesticks and chandeliers complete the decor and create an intimate and romantic atmosphere, rich with nostalgia and charm.

Candles wrapped in a dry leaf or supported by sophisticated chandeliers, lamps and diverse floating candles submerged in water in glass bowls … molds for candles or dried flowers to make delightful decorations, candles adorned with sponges, stencil or decoupage, sculpted and shaped, scented with oils and essences … is expressed through them, and creativity of the surrounding heat and mystery that emanates exclusively from the sails.

There is something that draws us in the candles. Candles are manifestations of the fire and it has amazed the man from primitive times.

About the author
  • K. Laura Garcés G

    Writer, therapist and lecturer. She is a lover of natural medicine and the power of mind and emotions in body and life. In addition, he has studied nutrition and develops appropriate diets to support this healing process.She has written more than 1500 articles in magazines in Spain and Mexico, winner of two literature contests. Linkedin.