Aromatic, dining, household, hemp, decorative, tea, a variety of candles carry a magic light that can make an evening romantic and fabulous, and give your heart a little warmth. When did they appear? Who came up with these wonderful lights that will forever remain in human life, despite the abundance and availability of electric lighting devices?
The prototype of the modern candle is considered to be Egyptian torches made of reeds or reeds. The ancient Egyptians took dried reeds or reeds, moistened them in melted animal fat and set them on fire. Of course, such a candle was very different from the modern one, moreover, it did not have a wick - a necessary part of today's candles.
Therefore, it is believed that the history of candles begins in ancient Rome, it was here that the wick was used in their manufacture, although the same animal fat remained the main material for making them.
During the Middle Ages, beeswax candles were invented, but since this material was much more difficult to get than fat, such wax candles were very expensive. Due to the high price, they were not available to the common people and were used only in wealthy houses.
In the 18th century, the evolution of candles continued thanks to the whaling industry. They began to be made from spermacet, a wax-like substance that was obtained from a fibrous sperm sac in the head of a sperm whale. Spermaceti candles were not smoked and had amazing brightness. In the twentieth century, a ban was imposed on the extraction of spermacet, which is quite justified.
A huge leap forward in the production of candles took place in the 19th century, at which time D. Morgan invented a machine that produced candles in molds using a cylinder with a moving piston capable of removing frozen candles.
In the same century, paraffin wax was invented, for the manufacture of which shale and oil were used. This material has since become the main material in the production of candles. Paraffin candles are low cost and burn brightly without emitting unpleasant odors. The only drawback of pure paraffin is its low melting point, so candles are made from it with the addition of stearic acid.
Another notable event of the 19th century was the invention of the incandescent lamp, which eventually became the main source of lighting, supplanting candles from this role. Despite this, candles are still being produced on a huge scale today. They decorate festive tables, they are used to create a relaxing atmosphere, decorate party rooms and for other purposes. This suggests that the life of the candle continues, albeit in a different way from the original purpose.
