I’m currently researching the history of candles, and most sources note that tallow candles (candles made from animal fat) preceded the European discovery that beeswax can be used for candles. I’ve also seen that the Tang Dynasty already had wax candles while Europe was still used animal fat. Could it be assumed that the adoption of beeswax candles was a result of the Silk Road?
Any information on how Europeans adopted the wax candle is appreciated.
Wax candles in Europe go back to the ancient Romans. While oil lamps were the more common form of lighting in the olive-oil-using Mediterranean world, the Romans used candles as well, both made tallow and with wax. Wax candles were preferred for their higher quality, and also for use in religious rituals (leading, e.g., to wax candles being common Saturnalia gifts). From this, the Roman Catholic Church appears to have inherited a preference for wax candles for ritual use, already in place in the late 4th century if not earlier.
The common use of tallow candles for lighting rather than wax candles was because they were much cheaper (in the early 15th century, less than a quarter of the price of wax candles). However, wax candles saw use in lighting for the rich, as well as ritual use in churches. The 15th century saw wider use of wax candles due to wax becoming cheaper. (Why did wax become cheaper? Improvements in methods of processing?)
Reference:
Robins, F. W, The Story Of The Lamp (And The Candle), Oxford University Press, 1939.
There was also a brief mention of ancient Greek wax candles many years ago by u/TectonicWafer in https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/27g970/were_there_candles_andor_candlesticks_in_ancient/