The History of Candles

Lighting the human path

Candles have been part of ceremonies and celebrations for thousands of years. No matter how diverse or how geographically distinct the world’s traditions, most share the ritual lighting of candles as an integral part of any ceremony.

The very word ceremony comes from the Latin word ceremonius, meaning ‘the person who carries a wax candle at public rituals’. In turn that word is based on the Latin cera for wax.

Down the centuries

The word candle has a luminous origin - from the Latin candere, meaning to shine ... and candlemaking has a long and complex history.

For thousands of years, candlelight was the only means of illumination after sunset. There’s no clear evidence of the ‘invention’ of candles, but candleholders were discovered in both ancient Cretan ruins (1600 BC) and in King Tut’s tomb (14th century BC). 

By the 13th century, candlemakers had their own guild and, in France, travelled village to village, house to house, to make candles. Molten beeswax was used to form ecclesiastical candles, but liquid vegetable oil and a range of animal fats, with all their smells and smoke, provided a cheaper  form of every-day lighting.

In the mid-nineteenth century, paraffin wax came into widespread use, a versatile, clean and easily managed material. It was barely established, when oil lamps, gas and electricity took over for lighting homes, and candles soon became an archaic item to keep on hand for emergencies.

However, in our hectic times, the gentle flicker of candlelight is again welcomed into our homes, providing a warm atmosphere of relaxation and an oasis of calm.