The Story of Candles
T HE STORY OF CANDLES by Adrian Maramba Candles , used for over 5,000 years, began as ancient Egyptians' fat-soaked reed "rushlights," which lacked a wick. The Romans are credited with developing the first true wick candles around 500 BCE by repeatedly dipping papyrus in melted fat or beeswax, creating a portable light source for homes and religious ceremonies. Over centuries, different cultures used indigenous waxes and fats, but the 19th century saw advancements with the invention of the braided wick, the use of paraffin wax, and improved processes for stearic acid, leading to cleaner, brighter, and cheaper candles that paved the way for the decorative and scented candles common today. Candles were primarily made from tallow and beeswax in Europe from the Roman period until the modern era. Before the invention of candles, ancient people used open fire, torches, splinters of resinous wood, and lamps to provide artificial illumination at night. Early Candles (circa 3000 B...