The History of Candle Making

Candles are very popular in today's homes. According to the National Candle Association, over $2 billion is spent on them every year. Prior to the invention of electricity, however, candles were more than decoration; they were a necessity.

Candles have a long history.

Origins

It is thought that the ancient Romans developed the first wicked candles when they dipped rolled papyrus into melted tallow or beeswax. Many early civilizations created candles in a similar fashion.

Middle Ages

During the Middle Ages, beeswax candles were found mainly in churches and the homes of the rich. Most households used candles made from tallow, or rendered animal fat, which were smoky and acrid smelling.

Candle Guilds

Candle making became a guild craft in England and France by the 13th century. Candle makers (or chandlers, as they were called) sold their wares from small candle shops.

Colonial Candles

Colonial American women discovered that the grayish-green fruit of the bayberry bush made a clean-burning and fragrant candle. Extracting the wax from the berries was a tedious job, however, so bayberry candles were used for special occasions only.

Candles From Whales

The expansion of the whaling industry in the 18th century led to a new type of candle. Spermaceti, a wax made from sperm whale oil, was found to be a clean-burning alternative to tallow and beeswax candles.

Machine Production

In 1834, inventor Joseph Morgan developed a mechanized method for the production of molded candles, making them more affordable. Once the light bulb was invented in 1879, however, candle making declined in importance.

References

• National Candle Association
• Bayberry Candles