From primitive torches to powerful searchlights, human progress has been marked by humankind's attempts to conquer darkness. In early huts and villages, campfires gave enough light for normal activities. Torches, made of wood or other plant material tipped with resin or bitumen, evolved from these campfires. Eventually, various holders were invented to carry torches, such as metal cups, baskets, and buckets that could also be mounted on poles or brackets. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans all used torches, as did medieval Europeans. Even today, torches are not uncommon in less developed societies.

Candles were invented somewhat later than torches. Primitive types of candles used by ancient civilizations in Egypt, Crete, and Italy from 3000 b.c. onward were made of animal fat, called tallow, and of beeswax, which comes from honeycombs. During the 1600s and 1700s, whale hunting became an important industry, and a type of wax derived...