The first way was to use a wax taper. A wax taper is a long cylindrical candle that has a wick at one end and a handle at the other. The wick is usually made of cotton or linen, but sometimes it can be made from paper.

The best way to light a wax taper is to place it in hot water until it melts, then remove it and place it on top of your flame source (usually your match). The light from the flame will heat up the wax enough so that when you add it to your candle, it will start burning immediately without dripping.

Another method used before matches was to use a tallow candle. Tallow candles were made out of animal fat, which is what makes them so good at keeping things warm and providing light. They also had wicks made out of cotton or linen, just like with wax tapers.

The best way to light a tallow candle is by adding more fat (usually lard) onto your existing one until there’s enough room for another layer of fat on top of it.

Last modified: September 19, 2022