Guest Author - Benito Lugo

It is generally accepted that Egypt was the first civilization to use wicked candles 5000 years ago. They dipped rolled papyrus in beeswax or melted tallow. Many historians have found proof that other civilizations made wicked candles by using waxes made from plants and insects. The first candles on the Asian continent were made in paper tubes, with polled rice paper for the wick. The wax was made from insects indigenous to the area or wax extracted from tree nuts. Western civilizations relied on candles made from animal fat (tallow), since it was widely available.

Beeswax candles were introduced on the European continent in the Middle Ages, beeswax burned cleaner, with none of the smoke or foul scent. The early colonists used bayberry due to its pleasant, sweet-smelling wax that burned clean. In the late 18th century the whaling industry brought about a big change in the making of candles, wax could be made from the crystallization of whale oil. The large scale production of candles was launched in 1834 with the invention of a candlemaking machine. Paraffin wax, which remains the most used wax for candlemaking today was developed in the 1850’s.

The use of candles as a primary source of light was ended in 1879 when the light bulb was invented by Thomas Edison. Even with this decline, the development of candle waxes and additives continued to keep candles in the publics mind. Over the last 20 years the popularity of candles has increased with the advent of new shapes and types of candles. Moving into the 1990’s, there has been a huge interest in candles due to new waxes, colors and scents becoming available.

So, as you can see the candle has come a long way from their initial use. Although they no longer are used as a primary source of light, they still retain their value as decorative, romantic, mood enhancing and use in religious ceremonies. We also can’t forget that most emergency kits recommend having several candles included for household use in case of power outage. In the U.S.A alone, more than 1 billion pounds of wax is used to manufacture candles each year. As you can see, candles are here to stay and will remain a part of our culture for many years to come.