Candles have been lighting human life for over 5,000 years. The earliest ones were not smooth, scented, or decorative. Ancient Egyptians made simple torches by dipping reeds into melted animal fat. In China, early candles were created with rolled rice paper and wax from insects and plants. Every culture found its own way to create light long before electricity existed.
The Romans helped shape the modern candle by dipping fiber wicks into tallow, a hard animal fat that produced a steady flame. These candles lit homes, temples, and nighttime streets, but they burned with smoke and a strong smell. Only wealthier families could afford beeswax candles, which burned cleaner and brighter.
In the Middle Ages, candle making became a real trade. Beeswax was used for churches and ceremonies, while everyday households still relied on tallow. Everything changed in the 1800s. New discoveries in chemistry created better waxes like stearin and paraffin, making candles cheaper, safer, and more reliable.
When electricity spread through cities and homes, candles were no longer needed for basic light. Instead, they became symbols. Today, candles represent comfort, remembrance, celebration, prayer, peace, and atmosphere. Scented candles, birthday candles, decorative candles—every modern version connects back to ancient people trying to carry light through the darkness.
From animal fat torches to today’s smooth, clean-burning wax, the story of candles is a story of human warmth and tradition.
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