Candles

The history of candles dates back to the Roman Empire. The word candela (candle) in Latin means "a light or torch" and candere meant "to shine or be bright". There is even evidence that beeswax candles were used in earlier places such as Egypt and Crete. There the people needed to provide artifical light, mostly for their religious services.

Some people may not understand the difference between lamps and candles. Technically, candles utilize a solid fuel source - in most cases wax. Lamps, unlike candles, use a wick in a flammable liquid - most often oil - to burn. The earliest-known candle was found in Vaison, near Avignon, France, from the first century AD.

Early candle makers would continuously dip wicks into melted wax or pour molten wax over the wicks to create thicker and thicker coats. It wasn't until the 1400s that molds were finally employed, although making candles from beeswax was difficult because it stuck to the wooden molds. Other ways to make candles, particularly for those who could afford to not consume it, was to burn animal fat on a wick. The more expensive beeswax, however, was the preferred material for making candles, as it didn't leave a very rancid and smoky burn like other materials for making candles did.

Today, candles are still used for lighting but the incandescent and fluorescent light bulb have made the candle obsolete. However, candles are still popular and used to create particular moods, aromas, provide ambience to enhance a special occasion, for religious ceremonies and of course in emergencies. Retail sales for candles in the U.S. is expected to top $2 billion dollars this year (2003) and most of those consumers are women. While candles used to be used strictly for providing light, they are now used primarily for mood and aromatherapy.