In order to answer the question of what was invented before - a candle or glass, first consider the history of the creation of a candle, and then glass. And let's compare. So let's dive into the history of candle making.
Dipped Candles
People have been using candles as a source of light for about 5,000 years. Despite the importance they occupy in our lives, no one can accurately answer the question of when candles were invented. There are theories that the first candles were invented in ancient Egypt around 3000 BC. Of course, they looked very different and different from modern ones. Egyptian candles were made from the core of the rush, the reed served as a torch, which was previously soaked in animal fat. The official mention of these light sources dates back to the 10th century BC. Then they looked like a wick placed in a container filled with a combustible solution. The history of the candle among the ancient Romans developed very curiously. They twisted and then dipped papyrus in a fat solution. Due to the fact that part of the solution remained on the wick, it burned for a long time. Such candles were called dipped, with their help they illuminated houses, as well as religious premises, they were taken on the road. Candles became widespread due to the cheapness and availability of fat, therefore they have been used for many centuries.
Historians claim that other civilizations made candles from improvised means, including insects or plants. In China, candles were made from thick paper rolled into a tube, rice paper served as a wick, grain was mixed with insects for wax. The Japanese made candle wax from walnut trees.
Conical Candles
How did the modern candle appear? The history of its creation dates back to the 15th century. Until that time, all candles were dipped. One inventor, who was originally from France, came up with conical candles, for this, wax was poured into a ready-made mold. Then animal fat was replaced with beeswax, it smoked less, burned longer and smelled better. However, the cost of such candles was much higher, because they were used only in the church and in the houses of the aristocracy.
Other methods for creating candles
American women made a small but important discovery: the wax obtained by boiling some berries for a long time burns well and smells very pleasant. However, since this method of making candles is painstaking and time-consuming, it is not widely used.
In the 18th century, the whaling industry was developed, thanks to which a new substrate, spermaceti, was added to candles. This oily substance was obtained from the top of the head of a sperm whale. The new plugs were denser and stiffer, whichkept them from melting in the heat.
History of inventions that influenced candle making
The 19th century was a turning point for the production of candles. In 1820, French chemist Michel Chevrol isolated stearic acid from animal fat. Then came the stearin candles, which became hard, hard, and burned cleanly. Such candles are popular to this day in Europe.
Important in their history is the name of Joseph Morgan. He invented an apparatus by which molded candles could be made continuously. Thanks to a cylinder with a moving piston, this technique independently removed the candles from the machine after they solidified.
In 1850 they were able to isolate a substance of natural origin from oil and purified it. Thus, paraffin began to be used in the production of candles. This product burned cleanly and evenly, was cheaper than other combustibles, and the problem of low melting point was solved by adding harder stearic acids to the paraffin.
In 1879, Thomas Edison invented the incandescent lamp, after which candles began to be used more for aesthetic purposes.
Modern Candles
Candles have remained in our lives to this day as an element of decor, as an integral part of creating a romantic or meditative atmosphere, even just as a pleasant and cute souvenir. Scented candles, multi-colored, small and large, round and square - all this is available today for anyonehuman.
Since 1990, the popularity of candles is growing again, they began to look for new types of wax for candles: from palm oil, soybean, etc.
Glass
What is glass, many people know, it's easy. Glass is an amorphous substance. A solid body can be obtained from it by cooling the alloy. Many things around us are made of glass, without it our life would not be so comfortable. How did people manage without mirrors, glazed windows, beautiful glass bottles, elegant and light dishes before? Have you ever wondered when glass was invented? In the article we will try to answer not only this question, we will also try to compare and analyze what was invented earlier - a candle or glass.
History of glass
An interesting hypothesis was proposed by the ancient Greek philosopher and historian Pliny the Elder. He wrote a work called "Natural History" in the first century BC. The history of the creation of glass is described as a legend or a legend about ancient sailors.
Phoenician merchants brought natural soda from Africa on ships along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. During the journey, they were overtaken by a strong storm, as a result, the ship was sheltered in the nearest harbor. It was decided to wait for better weather on the coast. Travelers lit a fire, decided to cook food. They were looking for something to put a large cauldron on, but the shore was empty and nothing suitable was found. Then the sailors brought massive blocks from the shipsoda, which are ideal for this purpose. In the morning, the sailors found pieces of unfamiliar material at the site of the fire. Thus, glass was formed from a mixture of soda and sand under the influence of high temperature. The history of inventions is very often unusual and simple. The narrator, of course, is a very respected person, the version is interesting, but is it true?
In the twentieth century, they decided to test the version of Pliny. Unfortunately, the experiment failed. It turned out that the temperature of the fire was not enough to melt the glass. So when was glass invented? Obviously, it was created in other conditions and by other people.
Glass of ancient Egypt
The question of what was invented first, a candle or glass, remains open, but scientists believe that both of these discoveries belong to the ancient Egyptians. The fact is that the first glass items were found in the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs, the age of which is supposedly about 9000 years. It is believed that glass was invented by accident, when a mixture of sand and soda fell on a raw clay product before firing. Perhaps the product was simple and did not require special attention, and, besides, it is not easy to clean wet clay. After firing, a thin layer of glass formed on it, and with due attention, the master could notice it. All he had to do was draw the right conclusion. 5000 years ago in Egypt they were already making jewelry, colored dishes from glass, and 3000 years ago glass bottles for storing perfumes appeared. The first glass created by man was greenish or bluish becausethat the sand had impurities.
Venetian glass
To be honest, it was not man who invented glass, it was created by nature itself, when it was made from red-hot lava millions of years ago. Thus, we can answer the question of what was invented first - glass or a candle. Since glass appeared on its own, millions of years ago, it entered human life much earlier than candles. The first glass found by man was not transparent, but hazy, almost black. It is called obsidian. Then, of course, man learned to make glass himself.
In the 1st century BC, people had already begun to bleach glass with manganese. For the manufacture of glassware, special tubes were used, with which it was blown. The flat shape was obtained much later. The first transparent flat glasses were discovered in Pompeii during archaeological excavations. In the XIII century they were already known in Europe. Since that time, glass production has become widespread in Venice. New oriental samples were brought from Constantinople. Gradually, Venice learned how to make such glass and even improved its transparency by adding lead to the alloy.
All master glassmakers were highly valued, they were not even allowed out of the city, and they were threatened with death for trying to hide. Then, in order to avoid revealing the secrets of production, it was decided to move all the workshops to the island of Murano, which is located near Venice. glass productsfrom Murano were very highly valued at that time. Now this dish can be seen in various museums. Glassblowers made vases, glasses, decanters and exquisite jewelry of indescribable beauty. In those days, glass things served as a luxury item.
The benefits of glass
Then humanity came up with the amalgam coating. This is how the mirror was born. Glass was even used in construction, very often temples were built with its use. Multi-colored stained-glass windows and now adorn many of them. Thanks to the ability of glass of a certain shape to refract light rays, the manufacture of lenses began, which became useful in science. Biology, medicine, astronomy - they all needed glass and lenses.
Which was invented first - a candle or glass?
So, now the vague and mysterious history of the emergence and development of glass production has become clear, which helped answer the question. Yes, indeed, glass appeared before candles, but the exact date of both discoveries is still unknown. For now, gratitude for such useful things is addressed to the ancient Egyptians.
