A Brief History of Candles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tallow

A candle is basically a piece of string, or wick, embedded in a solid, flammable substance that burns when lit, emitting light. Tallow is rendered animal fat, usually from cattle or sheep. The earliest candles were made by dipping a string in a vat of liquid fat, removing it and letting the fat dry, then dipping it again.

After dipping it repeatedly, layers of fat would build up around the string, forming a candle. Did you know that there is no general agreement about which civilization invented the candle? Some give credit to the ancient Egyptians (3000 BC), others to the Romans (500 BC), and still others to the Chinese (200 BC). Part of the reason for the different opinions is what one considers to be a true candle; the ancient sources often do not give detailed descriptions.

The early Egyptian "candles" may have just been reeds dipped in wax or fat, and lacking a wick. One thing that is certain is that candles have been around for a long, long time.

Answer: They had other means of illumination

In Greece, and other Mediterranean countries, candles never really caught on because they had another source of light: oil lamps. A clay lamp could be filled with olive oil, a wick inserted, and used in place of a candle. It was easier to make lamps than candles, and they could be reused many times.

They were also less expensive. Some cultures did use candles in religious ceremonies. For example, some say our tradition of putting candles on birthday cakes derives from the Greeks putting candles on cakes offered to the goddess Artemis.

But candles were always more popular in northern and western Europe, where sources of oil were less plentiful.

Answer: Wax candles were less expensive to produce

Compared to candles made of fat or tallow, wax candles had many advantages. They lasted longer, produced less smoke, and smelled better. But they were also much more expensive. The Romans used beeswax, which they obtained as a byproduct of honey production. Only the rich could afford wax candles.

The poor, if they used them at all, had to rely on candles made of tallow. But besides being less expensive, tallow candles had another advantage: in times of famine, they could be eaten!

Answer: Bayberry

The bayberry is a shrub belong to the genus Myrica, and its various species are found along the Atlantic coast of the United States from Maine to Texas. Its berries are covered with a waxy substance. Colonists found that they could boil the berries, and the waxy substance would float to the top of the cauldron, where it could be skimmed off.

It takes about 15 pounds of bayberries to produce a pound of bayberry wax. Bayberry candles burn cleanly with a pleasant, herbal scent. They are still being made today.

A legend says that if you light a bayberry candle on New Year's Eve and let it burn all the way down, you will enjoy prosperity throughout the coming year.

Answer: They did not soften or melt during hot weather

Spermaceti is a substance found in the heads of sperm whales; a single large adult whale can yield up to four tons of it. Biologists still debate what purpose it serves the whale, but it has long been prized as a source of a very fine oil, one that does not congeal when exposed to low temperatures. People soon discovered that the substance left over after the oil had been pressed out could be treated and used to produce high quality candles. One highly prized quality of spermaceti candles was that they did not melt or soften during the summer months when high temperatures were common.

This may not sound too important to us, but in the days before air conditioning, it was a big deal. Spermaceti candles also burned very cleanly, and produced more light than tallow or wax candles. One disadvantage was cost; they were very expensive. George Washington estimated that the cost of burning one spermaceti candle for five hours each night would cost eight pounds over the course of a single year.

Answer: Petroleum

The extraction and refining of crude oil began in the 1850s. One of the byproducts from the fractional distillation of petroleum was paraffin wax. It was soon discovered that paraffin wax made excellent candles. Paraffin wax candles were not only clean burning and long lasting, they were very cheap to produce. Most candles made today are paraffin wax candles.

Answer: Corn wax candles

Soybean oil, palm oil, and coconut oil can all be treated to produce waxes that are suitable for making candles. The main argument in favor of these candles, which represent only a small share of the market, is that they can be made from renewable resources, while paraffin wax candles are made from petroleum.

Some producers of these exotic candles claim that when paraffin wax candles are burned, they produce toxic and even carcinogenic chemicals; manufacturers of traditional candles deny these claims. Corn oil produces an unpleasant odor when burned, and is not used in candle manufacturing.

Answer: Lead in candle wicks

Most candle wicks are made of twisted cotton, and the wicks need to be stiffened to burn properly; this is especially true of votive candles and candles used in aromatherapy. For many years, lead compounds were used to stiffen candle wicks, and some wicks even had a core made of lead. Since lead is highly toxic, burning candles with wicks containing lead indoors was considered a health hazard.

Although candles with lead wicks have been banned for many years, there is still concern in some circles that inexpensive imported candles may present a risk. If you rub the wick of an unlit candle against a piece of white paper, it will leave a gray mark if it contains lead.

Answer: True

Of course you can make your own candles! After all, most people did so until a few hundred years ago. But if you live in an apartment, you might want to think twice about boiling down your leftover fat to make tallow. Fortunately, many candle manufacturers sell kits which make the production of homemade candles a fairly simple undertaking.

There are many advantages to making your own candles. You can choose the wax, color, shape, and scent. In addition, homemade candles make a thoughtful gift.

Answer: They are bought by women

It is a mystery why the love of candles should be so gender specific. Nevertheless, according to the National Candle Association, several surveys by candle manufacturers have shown that the overwhelming majority of their products are bought by women, over 90%. About 35% are sold during the Christmas season.

Although both men and women regard candles as an appropriate gift for various occasions, most are bought for personal use, and are used within a week of purchase.