Candle Facts

Prior to the domestication of electricity, candles were a common source of lighting, before, and later in addition to, the oil lamp.

Most people think the first candles were made from beeswax. However, beeswax was not used until about 300 A.D. We are not sure who but someone discovered the method of making a "tallow dip" with a wick running longitudinally through its center before beeswax candles were made. What is tallow you ask? Tallow is rendered beef or mutton fat. The wick -- a few threads of flax, hemp, or cotton, lightly twisted or plaited was dipped in melted tallow and allowed to cool, again and again, until a candle formed.