| "Now, as to the light of the candle. We will light one or | | | | in Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire, "Candle makers |
| two, and set them at work in the performance of their | | | | were required to work out of shops and not sell their |
| proper functions". - Michael Faraday, The Chemical | | | | goods in the street or market. They often sold their |
| History of a Candle, London 1908 | | | | wares by weight and with separate holders; broken |
| The history of candle making began with the discovery | | | | candles might also be brought to them for repair." |
| of fire. That makes it approximately 790,000 years old, | | | | As you might imagine, tallow produced an awful |
| based on evidence found in 2008 at the Gesher Benot | | | | stench. In the Middle Ages, in Europe, beeswax |
| Ya'aqov site in northern Israel. It is widely accepted | | | | candles were introduced. These not only emitted a |
| that the first candles were actually torches that were | | | | pleasant smell, but they weren't nearly as smoky. Very |
| used to transport fire. | | | | desirable, indeed, but very expensive. Beeswax |
| The next crude candle that we know about was | | | | candles were used in churches and in the homes of |
| made by the ancient Egyptians by soaking straw or | | | | the very rich. The rest of the population continued to |
| reed in naturally occurring resin or melted animal fat | | | | use the stinky tallow. |
| (called tallow). There is also evidence that the ancient | | | | In approximately the year 1300, British oynters (people |
| Romans rolled papyrus and dipped it repeatedly in | | | | who melted tallow) formed a religious fraternity in |
| tallow or beeswax. This may have been the first | | | | honor of Our Lady and Saint John the Baptist. By 1456, |
| instance of a true candle as we think of it today. | | | | this fraternity was granted a coat of arms, and it 1462 |
| It is believed that candle making technology was | | | | it was allowed to call itself a "livery," which meant that |
| developed simultaneously by many primitive cultures. | | | | it was considered a formal trade association in the |
| There is strong evidence for this because most | | | | City of London. It regulated oils, ointments, lubricants, |
| religions use candles; and candles are often mentioned | | | | fat-based preservatives, and it managed candle |
| in historical religious texts. For example, Hanukkah, the | | | | making using tallow. It played a key role in lighting the |
| Jewish Festival of Lights, which centers on lighting | | | | streets of London after dark. Today it is called The |
| candles, dates back to 165 B.C. In China and Japan, | | | | Worshipful Company of Tallow Chandlers, and it |
| early candles were molded inside paper tubes, with | | | | maintains a hall near the Dowgate Hill exit of the |
| wicks made from rolled rice paper, and the wax came | | | | Cannon Street Underground station. |
| from seeds and an insect called a "Cocus." In India, | | | | Today, there are more than 400 candle manufacturers |
| candle wax was made from the fruit of the cinnamon | | | | in the United States. In Europe, seventeen candle |
| tree. | | | | companies form the European Candle Association. |
| As early as the 7th century in the Byzantine Empire, | | | | Smaller companies or individuals may be members of |
| the first professional candle makers, called chandlers, | | | | the International Guild of Candle Artisans. |
| may have originated. In the Book of Eparch, which | | | | Today's commercial candles are usually made of |
| provided regulations for economic trade in the Empire, | | | | paraffin, and are produced by pressing, drawing, |
| there are rules forbidding the use of beef or sheep | | | | casting, or dipping. |
| tallow in candle making. According to Marcus Rautman | | | | |