 | From ruins to romance, candles have a long, rich history that reaches so far back in time, that nobody is quite sure who invented them, or what the first form of candles was. There is some dispute whether beeswax or tallow provided the materials, but it has been proven that both existed in Ancient Egypt.
The first candles may have been more in the line of torches, the big, flaming kind that in a way were wick and fuel in one, with dried reeds dipped in either paraffin or tallow and stuck into sconces on the wall. But the Egyptians were also in possession of the knowledge that natural fat, or tallow could be used for fuel. No records exist to provide a date for this discovery, but it is known that the Egyptians made candles from beeswax somewhere around 3000B.C. Did that make them the first candlers? Possibly, but traces of beeswax were also found in the famous Lascaux caves in France, home to some of the most famous and oldest cave paintings anywhere, with an estimated age of 15,000-17,000 years. Whether the artists used candles made from the tallow of their subjects to paint by, or whether it was left by later nomads is not known.
Over the centuries, candles took many forms, the first major invention being the dish with a wick, made popular in Roman times. But their fuel was tallow, and while it was cheap and available, the odor was almost enough to make people prefer the dark. Their inventions traveled with them, and so it was that civilized Europe was introduced to light after dark.
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History of Floating Candles
While torches and tallow had made their way north from the African continent, it seems that beeswax lagged behind. It would be hundreds of years after the fall of the Roman Empire before beeswax candles were rediscovered, the combs being subjected to heat to draw off the wax, or simply softened and rolled into tubes around a wick. The work outweighed the benefits though, and for a long time it was back to the tallow. Then along came the 18th century, and a discovery by whalers that they could crystallize the oil from those huge mammals, and come out with spermaceti, a waxy substance that was more durable, harder, and definitely less odorous than tallow. It provided the majority of candles through the heyday of the whaling industry and into the late 19th century when paraffin was discovered. Initially promising but having a problem with softness, paraffin soon outstripped spermaceti candles after the addition of steric acid made them nearly indestructible except when burnt.
About the same time, gas lighting came into use, followed not long after by electricity. Candles were doomed as a mainstay in homes. But they didn’t just melt away. Instead, some bright lights turned their talents to producing decorative candles for every occasion imaginable. We have slender tapers for Advent wreaths and romantic dinners for two, church votive candles, tea lights for such charming holders as the chiminea, pillar candles for when your light has to make more of a statement, and even floating candles.
But wax is heavy you say. Yes, it is. And in a high enough weight, with a dense concentration, it would sink. The secret to floating candles is to spread the mass out, so that its volume is counteracted by the buoyancy of water. You might have a five ounce ball of wax that would sink like a stone, but poured out into a wide enough mold with a shallow depth, the resulting candle will float.
Today, floating candles have caught on as a key decorative accent for many occasions, with some unique uses. They can heat up a bowl of punch, provide romantic lighting when placed in a brandy snifter half full of water, and even shine their light outdoors when used to highlight a fishpond or pool at night. From rose floating candles for a shower, to gold floating candles for a wedding party or anniversary dinner, they provide a special kind of light to dress up the event. |
