A Brief History of Candles

For centuries man's progress has been lighted by candles. However, people know only very few things about the origin of candles. It has been written that the first candles were made by the Ancient Egyptians. They used rushlights, or torches, made by soaking the pithy core of reeds in molten tallow. Unlike the candles, the rushlights had no wick. The Romans were the ones who it is said to have developed the wick candle. They used it to help travellers at dark, and to light homes and places of worship during the night.

America's first contribution to candle-making was made by colonial women who discovered that if they boiled the grayish green berries of bayberry bushes they got a sweet-smelling wax that burned clean. But it was extremely tedious to extract the wax from the bayberries so their popularity soon diminished. The first important change in candle making since the Middle Ages was bought by the growth of the whaling industry in the late 18th century. Spermaceti, a wax obtained by crystallizing sperm whale oil, was available in large quantities. The spermaceti wax, as well as beeswax, did not smell unpleasantly when burned. Even more importantly, spermaceti wax was harder than tallow and beeswax and it did not soften or bend because of the summer heat. Historians write that the first candles as we know them were made from spermaceti wax.

During the 19th century, people made most of the changes in candle making. In 1834, Joseph Morgan, invented a machine, which allowed continuous production of candles by the use of a cylinder, which had a movable piston that ejected candles as they solidified. Today, they are no longer a major source of light for people, but candles continue to be very popular and useful. Candles mean celebration, romance, ceremony, and can be an object of décor, while casting the same warm and enjoyable well-known glow.

Other articles by this author »
About Dominic Ferrara

Dominic is the author of this article. This article may be reproduced on websites subject to credit being given to the author, and a link to his website. If you would like more information go to http://www.candlesources.com.


And here is another random article you might be interested in...

The Deadliest Catch

Many of you know my feelings about television...*I believe TV is a complete waste of time*. Statistics show that 98% of people will watch 3-5 hours of TV a day either early in the morning, sometimes during the day while on break at their job or when they come home in the evenings.

Some people even have to fall asleep while watching TV, which is *Deadly* to your spirit especially if it's the news or something like that.

There is one show that I do watch called...

*The Deadliest Catch*

I do recommend this show for one reason and one reason only...

To see the price people are willing to pay, because there is a financial reward at the end of the incredible deadly journey.

Deadliest Catch is about crab fishermen in the Bering Sea of Alaska.

They battle...

- Tremendous Ocean Waves

- Below Freezing Temperatures

- 18-24 Hour Work Shifts - Sleep Deprivation

- Life or Death Work Conditions

The physical price that these men will pay is incredible, because they know there is potential to earn significant monetary rewards at the end of the crab fishing season.

We are in a challenging success race on a daily basis. I say race because you start working towards your success goal, initiate it everyday and focus on the "finish line".

But the sad statistic is that 97% of people die on the way to the achievement of the dream.

The challenge is your mental stress that drags you down in which most of you won't pay this physical and emotional price.

In the Deadliest Catch, they do pay the physical and mental price for just one reward at the end of a long hard season.

The reason that it is called Deadliest Catch is because every season men die. (Yes - lives are lost)

That's right, every year men lose their lives in the crab fishing season either due to the cold weather, ice storms or slipping and falling overboard.

Yet in the success game, many people will not pay the price because of fear and indecision. (age 65 - 97% dead broke)

Guess what?

You will not physically die from these things!

May I ask you a question?

Why are men willing to pay the price physically over the short period of time during crab fishing season, but many people in the success arena are not willing to pay the price because of mental challenges?

I challenge you to watch the Deadliest Catch and see for yourself the life threatening price that these men pay every single year.

Then ask yourself...

Am I willing to pay the price mentally/physically and visualize my future into existence today?

I believe you will.

Go for it!

Commit to it!

Live your dream!

Realize you are never going to die because of the mental challenges you may face, but I know I wouldn't make it through 24 hours on the crab fishing boat. (I do not believe I would make it 2 hours) :)

I would probably die within the first 24 hours yet for the last 16 years I have been stretching and growing in success process.

Go for it!

Live your dream!

Remember...

You will live not physically die on your success journey but your *Why will die* if you Quit!

Other articles by this author »
About John Di Lemme

John Di Lemme shocks millions globally by exposing the truth about how to achieve monumental life success despite the labels that society has placed on you. Through his award winning live seminars, power-packed training programs, live tele-classes, weekly ezine and website (http://www.FindYourWhy.com), John Di Lemme has made success a reality for thousands worldwide.