Search:

The Evolution of the Candle

By: Azlan Candles were created by our ancestors centuries ago, not for decoration or fragrance, but simply to provide light in their homes. Those candles were neither fancy nor scented; they performed a basic function and met an essential need. They were just simple wax creations used to provide the simple purpose of illumination.

Different types of civilizations made different kinds of candles. These early candles were as varied as were the people that fashioned them, and the environment that they were created in directly affected their formation. Each culture relied on whatever resources were naturally occurring to develop their unique type of candle. As exploration and worldwide travel increased, which resulted in different cultures communicating and trading with each other, the base materials for candle-making became more and more standardized. Tallow, a wax obtained from animal fat, became commonly used, although beeswax was also popular with the higher members of society who could afford it.

Shortly after, candle making transformed into a profession, and a man known as a chandler began visiting homes to make people’s candles for them. He would use the resident’s own tallow or beeswax, dipping wicks to craft tapers in exchange for payment. Many of these chandlers also opened and maintained the first shops that sold candles. Candle molds soon became more developed, and paraffin slowly but surely began to replace tallow as the foremost base for candle-making. Soon after, candle-making became a mechanized industry, which allowed candles to be mass-produced and affordable to the general public. This also resulted in candles being purchased in retail shops more frequently than they were homemade.

When modern electrical lighting systems were developed, the role of candles as the main sources of light diminished. Candles continued to serve an essential function in religious services and rites, but they no longer played a major role in homes. People didn’t abandon the candle altogether, though, since they were relied upon during power failures and on many occasions and celebrations.

In the 1980’s there was a great resurgence of the candle’s prominence, particularly in America. It became fashionable to decorate with candles. Candle makers began producing a motley array of candles, developing candles in a great variety of colors, sizes, and shapes. The candle’s fragrance also became a critical ingredient in making and selling them, and the candle acquired a whole new ‘flavor’.

Candles today have become more popular than ever, with established stores in shopping malls and even on the Internet offering a huge selection of candles for customers. An estimated 70% of homes in the United States use candles as part of their home décor, and they have also been accepted as a great gift idea for both men and women. Candles are now one of the top choices if you want to add some delightful charm to your home or create a fragrant ambience to reduce stress in an increasingly hectic world. The modern candle today is hardly recognizable from its simple origin as a basic necessity.

----------