“A candle is a light that supports us in the most difficult moments,
it reminds us of the indomitable spirit and hope.” Vasyl Stus
A candle fish, a candlestick with oil, and other harbingers of candles
Every phenomenon has its beginning. Long before the advent of the wax and soy candle, people used a variety of devices to illuminate the darkness. It all started with the invention of fire, which the earliest people learned to carry in torches made of wood soaked in fat or resin. The indigenous peoples of North America began using the Pacific fish Eulachon from the salmon family as candles in the first century AD. This small fish had a very high fat content, it was dried, a wick was pulled through it, or the fish was put on a stick and set on fire. Similar candlefish were also found off the coast of England and used as a source of light.
In different parts of the world, lamps made of stone, clay, or metal were used. They were filled with animal or vegetable fat. Moss, papyrus, and linen cloth served as wicks. In ancient Greece, Rome, and the Middle East, olive oil was the predominant lamp filler, while in colder regions, animal fat was used. Alaskan peoples used the fat of walruses, whales, and seals. The inhabitants of the Nordic countries melted deer and bear fat. In more temperate regions, including Ukraine, they used the fat of domestic animals such as pigs, sheep, or cows. In Tibet, yak oil was used, and in India, cinnamon wax was used.
The first candles we know today appeared in the early Middle Ages and were made first of fat and later of wax. Fat candles were widespread and quite affordable, because they were made not only from fresh fat, but also from the fat that was prepared in the kitchen after cooking meat dishes. These candles covered the walls and ceiling with soot and had an unpleasant odor, which is why they were banned in some European cities for some time. Beeswax was a great alternative for making candles with a pleasant aroma and no black soot. But the cost of such a candle was much higher than its “relative” made of fat. And for a long time, wax candles were available only to the nobility, clergy and royal families, who used them as ceremonial candles for holidays.
Beekeepers - the first Ukrainian candle makers
Beekeepers were the first to start making candles in Ukraine. The whole family would gather to create a symbol of life and unity of generations, which was a candle in the view of our ancestors. Any household work would be stopped and a real solemn sacrament of creating a wax candle would begin. In some regions of Ukraine, certain days were chosen for candle making, or vice versa, there were days on which it was forbidden to make candles. There was a widespread belief that candles had to be made by an adult who was respected in society and whose wisdom was trusted. Currently, researchers know of three methods of making candles in ancient times: mokan, cob, and cast. Some of these methods are still used today in craft production.
Poured candles were quite practical to make. A long wick was fixed on a wooden or metal stick and dipped into melted wax. Then it was taken out and allowed to harden. The process of dipping the wick was repeated until the candle reached the desired thickness. If necessary, the surface of the candle was leveled at the end. Dipped candles could be colored - natural dyes from vegetables, herbs and flowers were added to the melted wax. Today, this method of candle making is gaining new popularity among craftsmen. In addition to colored candles, you can also see candles with dried herbs and flowers
Cob candles or, as they are also called, sukani candles were made from a piece of wax softened in hot water. First, it was kneaded by hand and rolled into a long tube resembling a candle. After that, the shape was leveled with a special wooden board. A longitudinal cut was made on such a blank with a knife, a wick was placed in it, and the candle was rolled again to remove the cut mark.
In ancient times, cast candles were made using hollow plants such as sunflower, corn, and trees such as elderberry. The stem was cut off to the desired length, the core was cleaned out, the wick was inserted along the entire length of the mold, and melted wax was poured in. When the candle hardened, the mold was removed. Today, this is one of the most common ways to make candles. Silicone and plastic split molds allow you to make candles of any size and shape.
Brotherhoods and candle factories in Ukraine
In the 16th century, national-religious public organizations of burghers, brotherhoods, began to appear on the territory of Ukraine. There were shop, church, and bachelor's fraternities, which operated until almost the end of the 18th century. Each brotherhood made its own candles for its own needs, and certain workshops also made them for sale. Ritual candles are known to have been used at important fraternity gatherings, such as professional or religious celebrations, the acceptance of new brothers into their community, etc. These candles were up to 1.5 meters high and about 30 cm in diameter. There was a tradition, or should we say a duty, when production workshops donated such large candles to the city and churches several times a year.
In the 18th century, candlestick making was subordinated to the state, and candle factories began to operate, bringing in good profits. That is why orders were issued prohibiting the manufacture of candles at home and in production workshops. At the end of the 18th century, there were ten candle factories in Ukraine, and in the middle of the 19th century there were more than sixty. The largest factories were located in Chernihiv and Kharkiv provinces. In Kyiv, there was a factory of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, which was also one of the largest in Ukraine. It processed up to 1400 poods (approximately 23,000 kg) of wax annually. It is worth mentioning the Baturyn Candle Factory, whose products were popular far beyond the borders of our country. The quality of Baturyn candles was popular among royal families and aristocracy. The factory operated for eighty years, but due to the decline of beekeeping and lack of raw materials, it ceased to exist.
The sacred significance of the candle for Ukrainians
The candle was with our ancestors from birth to death. When a baby came into our world, a midwife would light a candle to ease its journey and protect the mother from evil forces. Similarly, the candle illuminated the last journey of the deceased soul into the afterlife. The main function of fire and candle has always been to protect from disaster, to illuminate the physical and spiritual path. Researchers know that Kyivan princesses, when leaving for a long journey to their future husbands, had candles among their dowries as “a fragrance and symbol of their home.”
A wax candle was a precious commodity and most of the population could not freely use it in everyday life, and this did not apply to the ceremonial candles that were in every home. Fire was considered a symbol of life, the sun, and prosperity, and was a divine symbol in the days of paganism. With the adoption of Christianity, the importance of the candle grew - it became an integral attribute of all church sacraments.
The candle is a symbol of ancestral memory, traditions, and the connection between generations. That is why it was an important wedding attribute. More precisely, three wedding candles - one large one for the newlyweds and two smaller ones for the parents of the bride and groom. Parents would bless their children and light their large candle together from their own, thus passing a piece of the family hearth to the new family.
The candle was always present in the cycle of winter holidays. No divination could take place without the magical power of fire. It was lit on Christmas Eve to honor the memory of deceased ancestors and to bless the living for a successful year. The Easter holidays also had their own special candle - the passion candle. On Maundy (Holy) Thursday, people would return home from church service with it and go around the house and yard to protect their property from the evil eye and disease for the whole year. It was believed that this candle also protected against thunder and lightning if lit at home in the midst of the elements. And when lit on the Feast of the Presentation, it called for summer to defeat winter.
When someone went on a long journey, they were given a candle as a talisman. In general, wax candles and wax itself were endowed with magical powers. Wax was used to cast fear - dripping melted wax from a candle into a vessel of cold water to see what exactly frightened a person and throwing this “image” into a field or at a crossroads. A cross made of wax was buried along with the treasure to protect one's wealth. Wax was applied to bullets for successful hunting.
Today, everyone can experience the magic of candle making. For this purpose, we have a wide range of materials available to us - wax, paraffin, soy, dyes and aroma oils. Dried herbs and flowers, different types of wicks - cotton, wooden, etc. You can make molded candles in silicone molds, which are removed after hardening. Or you can fill glasses, mugs, wooden, cement, or plaster pots with paraffin and soy wax and create stylish decorative elements.
For daily use, it is enough to buy factory-made candles. And if you want to fill your home with a special coziness and charm, craft products will come in handy. They are always unique and retain a piece of warmth of the craftsman.
Prepared by Olena Koval
Buy craft candles on the website It's Craft - https://itscraft.com.ua/svichki-i-svichniki/
Top selling candles on our website - social enterprise Rekava - https://itscraft.com.ua/rekava/
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Sources used
http://medovabrama.com.ua/page/vigotovlennya-voskovih-svichok-yak-chastina-bdzhilnichogo-remesla
https://naurok.com.ua/prezentaciya-mayster-klas-svichka-yak-mistectvo-328413.html
http://etno-selo.com.ua/organizacija-zahodiv/majster-klasy/svichnykarstvo/
https://zolotapektoral.te.ua/shulhanivske-svichnykarstvo-nektar-rizdvyanyh-serdets/
Photo/drawing references: all images from Pinterest, the painting by Mykola Pymonenko and the candle fish from Wikipedia.
