The History of Candlemaking

(A Yankee Candle Company Publication)

Ancient Egyptians used rushlights, made by soaking the spongy core of reeds in molten tallow (animal fat). Although these torches did not actually have wicks, they are most likely the origin of candles.

Early Romans, like the Egyptians, also relied on tallow, gathered from cattle or sheep suet, as the principal ingredient in their candles. They are credited with developing the wick candle, using it to aid travelers at dark, and lighting homes and places of worship at night.

In the Middle Ages beeswax candles were introduced. Unlike tallow candles, beeswax candles had a pleasant odor and burned with a clean flame. They were, and still are today, renowned for their long-burning quality. They were also burned almost exclusively in churches and wealthy households due to their high cost.

Colonists offered American's contribution to candlemaking: bayberry candles, produced from the extract gathered from boiling bayberries. Although the task was tedious (an average of 15 lbs. of bayberries boiled would yield only 1 lb. of wax), their unique aromatic smell made bayberry candles a popular tradition during the holiday season. This tradition lives on today.

In the late 18th Century the first historically noted "standard candles" were developed as a result of the gorwth of the whaling industry: spermaceti candles. Spermaceti was obtained from whale fatty acids. Candles made from spermaceti smelled clean and the hard wax did not soften or bend in hot temperatures. They were also known for their bright white flame which became the standard unit of photometry, the measurement of light.

Contemporary candlemaking began during the Industrial Revolution with major discoveries in candlemaking. The early 1800's saw breakthroughs both in the components of candles and in the methods of producing candles. The discovery of petroleum led to the development of paraffin wax which went into full production in 1850. Paraffin wax, produced by distilling the residues from the refining of crude petroleum, burned cleanly, had no unpleasant odor, and was the most economical to produce. Its one drawback, a low melting point, was corrected by the discovery and use of stearic acid in paraffin candlemaking. In 1834, inventor Joseph Morgan introduced his candlemaking machine. It allowed continuous production of molded candles by the use of a cylinder which featured a movable piston to eject candles as they solidified.

The discovery of petroleum also brought about superior oil lamps and gas lighting. These alternative sources of lighting, along with the invention of the light bulb in 1879, prompted the decline of candles as the primary source of light by the late 1800's. However, during the first half of the twentieth century, increases in the U.S. oil and meat packing industries resulted in more of the by-products used as the basic ingredients of contemporary candles: paraffin and stearic acid. Once again candle use grew.

Today, candles are more popular than ever. They are no longer humanity's major source of light, but are symbols of celebration, romance and ceremony, as well as essentials in home ambiance and decor.