BS: How did the Romans light candles?

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 12:45 AM

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Gurney - PM
Date: 14 Jan 09 - 03:02 PM

JohniK, I've wondered if pottery was 'invented' because someone carried their coals in a wet-clay lining of a basket or something.

I don't think it would be very likely. The chemical transformation which permanently changes clay into a rock-like form that won't dissolve in water occurs at about 700°F. Coals aren't quite that hot. It's more likely that pottery was 'invented' by broken or worn out clay-lined baskets being thrown into campfires.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: GUEST,Penguin Egg
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 02:56 PM

They would have got a slave to do it.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: GUEST,Edthefolkie
Date: 22 Mar 09 - 08:23 PM

They used fork handles.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 03:28 AM

The best little fire starter I've seen is a little air tight cylinder with a piston that you hit with your palm. Put a bit of dried grass or straw in it and bang the piston. The resulting compression of air and friction ignites the straw inside if you pull the piston out quick enough.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Penny S.
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 04:47 PM

I've never seen anyone claim that a bit of pot was a fire pot on TimeTeam. But I do recall reading that there was a tribe somewhere with a surprising number of cancers which turned out to be exactly on the spot of skin which abutted the fire carrying device. I'm not sure if it was a pot or a hollow piece of bamboo. i also seem to recall that the fire was damped: not wetted, but enclosed so that very little air could get in, and the embers smouldered only. Never tried it, though.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Penny S.
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 05:02 PM

I think the expression I wanted was banking up the fire. One of our fireplaces came with a ceramic cover to put over the embeers at night so that the fire smouldered, but was ready to light up fast in the morning.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Bill D
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 05:27 PM

Donuel... the fire piston that I assume you mean was posted by Rapaire back in Jan.

I had never seen one before...but I am fascinated, because the wood used to make the one shown is TulipWood, one of the Rosewoods. (Dalbergia frutescens or Dalbergia variabilis )

I just may have to see if I can make one of it or some relevant wood.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Donuel
Date: 23 Mar 09 - 11:18 PM

I saw the fire piston on Survivorman (discovery channel). He was impressed too.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Keith A of Hertford
Date: 24 Mar 09 - 06:31 AM

The Romans had glass, but they never thought of lenses.
Astronomy and microbiology would be centuries ahead if only they had.

I visited the East West border in Germany before unification.
We were strictly admonished not to "show sur arses" to the East German guards.

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 24 Mar 09 - 10:14 AM

Bill D, when I saw that link yesterday, with the picture of the fire piston, my immediate thought was, "That's something Bill D ought to look into making. Looks like right up his alley!"

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Mar 09 - 05:19 AM

Re: Roman lenses. Nero is reputed to have used an emerald as a quizzing glass. Lucian of Samosata in an early SF tale of travelling to the Moon refers to the lunar inhabitants having put a glass structure over a crater to use to observe the earthlings. I am told. These would suggest that lenses had been thought of, if not developed.

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: Penny S.
Date: 25 Mar 09 - 05:27 AM

I have been falsely informed with regard to Lucian. It was a shallow well and a mirror, so a reflecting rather than a refracting telescope. But Nero remains.

Lucian, scroll down

Penny

Subject: RE: BS: How did the Romans light candles?
From: John P
Date: 25 Mar 09 - 12:38 PM

Q: How many sisters from yon abbey does it take to light a candle?

A: Nun