The candle is one of humanity's first inventions, with a history so ancient that precise information about its very beginnings to this day is still lacking.
Early civilizations and first experiments
The first evidence of candles in their current sense can be found in the days of early civilizations, when the Ancient Egyptians made something similar to wick candles by soaking the stiffest shoots of reeds in melted animal fat.
It is believed that the earliest candles were made from whale oil in China, during the Qin Dynasty, which ruled from 221 to 206 BCE. At that time, a simple twisted strip of cloth was used instead of a wick. Early civilizations in China used rolled rice paper as a wick, but wax was also obtained from local insects, plants, and even mixed with various seeds. In Japan, wax was obtained from nuts, while in India, boiled cinnamon fruit was used for candle wax.
Ancient beeswax
Around the same time in the 3rd century BC, the ancient Romans had already figured out that rolled papyrus could be used for a wick, but they could soak it not only in melted beef or sheep fat, but (although less commonly) also in melted beeswax, and then burn it.
When beeswax was discovered in Europe as a very good material for making candles, the era of beeswax candles began. Unlike animal fat, this wax did not produce smoke when burned and gave off a pleasant aroma. The limited quantity of this highly valuable raw material primarily belonged to churches, the rich and influential. Sheep fat candles were still used in the homes of ordinary people.
Nineteenth-century candles
With the boom of whaling as an industry in the late 18th century, it was discovered that whale blubber (more precisely, sperm whales, also called toothed whales) was relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain as a material for candle production.
The milky white substance in the sperm whale's head - spermaceti, which is located above the skull - was also used to make candles. By crystallizing this fatty oil, a mass was obtained that did not emit an odor when burned and produced a bright flame.
Since the Middle Ages, this step in candle making was a major turning point, as only candles made in this way can truly be called candles as we know them today.
When French chemist Michael Eugene Chevrel discovered in 1820 how to extract stearic acid from animal fats, the production of stearic wax began. This candle material was hard and durable, and did not emit odors or smoke when burned. To this day, stearic candle production is still popular in Europe.
And only then did the production of paraffin candles begin! Around 1850, when chemists succeeded in creating paraffin wax, the production of high-quality unscented paraffin candles began. However, this material melted at a relatively low temperature, so over time stearic acid was added to it.
Candles today
Candles only became an affordable commodity in 1834, when inventor Joseph Morgan created the first mechanical candle-making machine. It was then possible to make about 1,500 candles per hour!
But only in the mid-1980s did candles become a sought-after product, used not only as decorative items to create a room's atmosphere, but also to improve mood, and bought as gifts. At that time, candles of various shapes, colors and scents were already available. In 1990, new types of candle wax were developed - pharmaceutical chemists from the USA introduced soybean wax, which was softer and burned more slowly than paraffin.
The variety of candle materials today can be surprising! Although most candles are made from paraffin, which is derived from petroleum, there are many natural candle alternatives – not only the already mentioned stearin and beeswax, but also soy, palm, rapeseed, olive and even coconut wax!