In The Beginning

Man, woman, fire, water and a whole bunch of animals trying to eat man and woman! That was the scene some millenia ago. Perhaps fire was man’s main protection from predatory animals that roamed the ancient world? We know it served to cook their food, light their shelter and obviously keep them warm. This rudimentary need for fire in and around our lives is in our genes. Fire fulfils some long held deep need within each and every one of us. Candles, Open fires, wood burners etc are becoming more desirable today. It’s an animal thing and helps make our homes more cosy and inviting. This article provides a brief history of candles in particular, the people who made them, the societies that used them and the materials they were made from.

Candles In The Ancient World

Candles from beeswax have been recorded as early as 3000 BC in ancient Egypt. The Chinese made candles from the fat of Whales during the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and in early China and Japan, tapers made with wax from insects and seeds, wrapped in paper are known to have been used. The wax from boiling cinnamon was used for temple candles in ancient India. During the first century AD, Groups of people in the Pacific Northwest fused oil from the Eulachon (or “candle fish”), to make a rudimentary candle. Candles are an ancient product originally made out of necessity for light in homes and for use in religious practises.

1 AD – 1300 AD

In Ancient Rome, tallow candles were widely used. Tallow is derived from suet, a crumbly animal fat. The tallow was extremely smoky but was readily available and easy to process into candles. The smoke was forgiven for the usefulness of the light. The Romans used these tallow candles everywhere. They were used at altars, shrines, in temples and were very common within the home. Making tallow candles was very simple; the tallow was put into the melting pot, then poured into molds made of bronze. A trough underneath would catch the excess wax and return it to the melting pot. For the wick, a cord, usually made from the pith of rushes, was suspended from a horizontal rod over the mould when the wax was poured in.

1300 AD – Present

Tallow was the standard candle material used in Europe during the late middle ages. The Tallow Chandlers Company of London was formed in about 1300 AD and in 1456 was granted a coat of arms. The Wax Chandlers Company acquired its charter in 1484. By 1415, tallow candles were used in street lighting. The trade of the chandler is also recorded by the name of “Smeremongere”, since they oversaw the manufacture of sauces, vinegar, soap and cheese. The unpleasant smell of tallow candles is due to their high glycerin content. Wealthier establishments such as churches, merchants and Royalty used candles from beeswax, as the smell was usually less unpleasant. The smell of the manufacturing process of tallow candles was so unpleasant that it was banned by ordinance in several cities of this time period. During the 1800’s paraffin was discovered. Cheaper and without the pungent smell of tallow, paraffin soon became the staple material for candle making. Mechanisation of the process of candle making followed and soon cheap candles were available to the masses.

The Profession of Candle Making

Candles were also commonplace in many households scattered throughout Europe. In England and France candle making had become a guild graft by the 14th century. These candle makers (chandlers) went from house to house making candles from fats saved from the kitchen or sold their own candles from within their shops.

Recent Candle Making Developments And Market

The 1990’s saw a much higher demand for scented candles. In response, Industrial Chemists developed Soy wax. Soy wax was a softer and slower burning wax than paraffin and a natural product produced from the soy bean. Palm wax was also developed on the other side of the world. Today, wax blends are continually being developed in the quest for cleaner burning, more sustainable candles that the world craves. Scented candles had an estimated global market value of 2.5 Billion U.S. Dollars in 2005. The journey has been long but candles persist today as a symbol of romance and in making our lives more comfortable.

The Author is the owner of Busy Bee Candles, a handmade scented candle manufacturer and retailer specialising in soy wax products. To view our candles, click our scented candle link.