A Historical View Of Candles
June 6, 2010 | Leave a Comment
In The Beginning
In the beginning there was man, woman, fire, water and a whole lot of things trying to eat man and woman! Fire was perhaps man’s main form of protection from predatory animals and served to cook their food, light their shelter and keep them warm. This rudimentary need for fire in and around our lives is in our DNA. It fulfils some form of primeval deep need. Open fires, wood burners etc have become more popular today. Similarly with candles. It’s an animal thing and helps make our homes more cosy and inviting. This article focuses on a brief history of candles, the people who made them and the societies that used them.
Candle Origins
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 Candles are an ancient product originally made out of necessity for light in homes and for use in religious practises.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
Tallow candles were used in ancient Rome. Derived from suet, a crumbly animal fat, tallow was extremely smoky in burning. However, tallow was readily available and easy to process into candles. The smoke produced was forgiven for the usefulness of the light. Tallow candles were used at altars, shrines, in temples and were very common in peoples homes. Making tallow candles was fairly simple. Melted in a pot, the tallow was then poured into moulds made of bronze. Excess wax was caught in a trough and returned to the melting pot. A basic cord made from the pith of rushes was used and suspended from a horizontal rod over the mould when the tallow is poured in.
1300 AD - Recent Times
In Europe, the earliest surviving candle was discovered near Avignon in France, from the first century AD During the Middle Ages in Europe, the popularity of candles is shown by their use in religious festivals. Tallow was the standard candle material used in Europe. The Tallow Chandlers Company of London was formed in about 1300 AD and in 1456 was granted a coat of arms. Dating from about 1330, The Wax Chandlers Company acquired its charter in 1484. By about 1415, tallow candles were used in street lighting. The trade of the chandler is also recorded by the more picturesque name of “Smeremongere”, since they oversaw the manufacture of sauces, vinegar, soap and cheese. The unpleasant smell of tallow candles is due to the glycerin they contain. For churches and royal events, candles from beeswax were used, 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 the time. The 1800’s save the discovery of paraffin. Cleaner and without the pungent smell, paraffin candles become very popular. With the ensuing mechanisation of the process of candle making and much lower costs, candles had become available to the mass populace.
The Candle Maker
Candle makers are known as a Chandlers. By the 14th century, candle making had become a guild graft in France and England. Chandlers went from house to house selling their own candles or making candles for the home owners from fats saved from the kitchen.
Latest Candle Making Developments & 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 soy wax candle manufacturer and retailer. To find out about modern day soy candles visit Busy Bee Candles.
Scented Candles; How To Get The Most From Them
May 28, 2010 | Leave a Comment
How to make the most of scented candles
This article provides advice on making the most of your scented candles. How many of us have bought a candle at a pretty penny and then been woefully disappointed as they watch their new candle slump in the centre or not give off any scent. Well help is at hand.
Where to start
Not all scented candles are of the same quality. Invest in the very best you can afford. A word of warning; Some very expensive candles are of poor quality. Some simply burn poorly or give off little discernible scent. My best advice is to look out for handmade scented candles. These usually a better place to start looking for your perfect brand. Why? These are usually of a better quality because someone has gone to the trouble of making each candle by hand. Mass produced candles such as the market leaders, Yankee Candles, are machine made in their thousands. This does not mean they are sub standard, simply they are mass produced so the care of a hand made product is lacking. My advice is to try to find those candles that someone has cared about when making them. Not all will be good but the chances of finding a good brand is much better.
So I have the candle, what next?
This is where the fun (and work) begins. To get the best from a scented candle, you need to start by checking the wick. The ideal length of most candle wicks is around 5mm (about 1/4 of an inch) but do check the label on your candle. Too long, trim it with scissors. Too short, use a tea spoon and remove some wax from around the wick. With soy candles, this is fairly easy (and fun) as they are fairly soft. With paraffin candles this is a bit more tricky as they are harder. Light the candle making sure that it is on a heat resistant surface and away from anything flammable.
Is that it?
Unfortunately, to make the most of your candle, you need to care for it from time to time. The first burn is important. Let the candle melt across the full width of the jar (for container candles which covers over 90% of quality scented candles). Soy candles will melt easily across the full width of the jar, with paraffin candles; it all depends on the quality of how it’s made and the balance of wick size to the size of the jar. Enjoy the fragrance and the homely ambiance you get from your candle.
Anything else?
Well not quite. After your first burn and you have extinguished your candle, leave it to cool completely. Trim the wick again, always to around 5mm (1/4 of an inch). And light again. As before, let the candle burn until the whole width of the jar has melted. This procedure has to be repeated over and over again for the life of the candle. Trim, burn, cool, trim, burn cool etc. For small candles, the candle may need putting out after an hour or so, so you can re-trim the wick. Larger candles will burn happily for many hours between wick trims. Watch the candle and you will learn how long you can burn before you need to trim the wick. It really is simple to make the most of a scented candle so invest in quality and take care of your purchase and it will reward you time and time again.
Written By Haitham Al-Ubaidi the owner of Busy Bee Candles. Visit Busy Bee Candles for a great range of hand made Scented Candles, tea lights, wax tarts and fragrance oils.
The Social Importance of Candles
February 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Slate and Artsmith - The candle is a very powerful symbol in human consciousness. There is something about that tiny point of light, flickering, existing and resisting a world that is dark and empty, which speaks to the deepest part of the human soul. This is one of the reasons that candles have such a profound significance in so many disparate religions throughout the world.
Judaism
The candle is a powerful symbol in Judaism, and one is lit every Friday night to celebrate the beginning of the weekly Sabbath. On Saturday evening, a Havdalah candle is lit to mark the end of the Sabbath. Candles are also used in the Chanukah ceremony, where a candle is lit every evening for eight nights, to commemorate the candle which miraculously burned for eight days, when the Jews recovered their temple from the Greek / Persian Invaders. For the Jewish people, the candles flame represents the ever burning flame of the divine being.
In Judaism a candle is also used to commemorate those who have passed away, and they are often lit to commemorate a loved one, or those who died tragically, such as in the holocaust.
Christianity
In Christianity the candle is used for both religious and decorative purposes. In its decorative function, it is a representation of the Creators light, or specifically the light of Jesus. For this reason you will often find a candle lit and placed on an alter. Ritually, candles are often lit and placed in front of pictures of icons in the orthodox tradition. A votive candle may also be lit to accompany prayer. Some churches also use a Paschal candle which represents Jesus, and is only lit on Easter and other very special occasions.
Buddhism
In Buddhism, candles are often placed in front of statues of the Buddah along with food or drink as a sign of respect. Symbolically they represent the light of the Buddah’s teaching and the enlightenment they added to the world.
Hinduism
In the Hindu tradition a diya, or clay lamp, is a very important part of any religious ritual. The lamp holds the candle during the ceremony, and acts as a symbol of prosperity and enlightenment. Every year they also celebrate Diwalli which is also known as the festival of light. On this holiday lamps are lit to symbolize life and hope and the conquest of good over evil.
The symbolic nature of a candle gives it significance in many of the world’s major religions. Whether it symbolizes the supreme creator, or the hope of mankind, its flickering light is an inspiration to many who behold its glow.
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