|
The oil lamp, called lucerna, has been widely used since ancient times. It was made from an oil container and had one or more wick spouts. The oil lamp goes as far back as Homer’s Odyssey, and also they were used in Crete during the age of the Mycenaean civilization. In the ancient palaces of Cnosso and Haghia Triada, pieces of proof were found of the ancient oil lamps. Later on in early history, they were used by the Phoenicians and the Greeks, and later on the Romans. During the Middle Ages, there was a decline in the usage of the oil lamp, which was because of the negative effects of the smoke they produced.
In the mid 16th century, a man by the name of Gerolamo Gardan invented an improvement for the oil lamp: a special reservoir was designed to regulate the oil flow to the wick. In the year 1780 further improvements were made by providing a burner to the oil lamp that led to reduced smoke and a higher burn light. The oil lamp declined in the late 19th century when they were made for decorative purposes alone. In the year 1909, over half of our countries’ population lived in the country, on farms, or in small towns. The beginning of the modern age was upon the country and of the changes that were to take place, the most important was the light of the Aladdin Mantle Lamp. This placement and suspension of the mantle over the flame of the oil lamp was supposed to provide an even glow, but still presented a problem. Life in America was very different in 1909 compared to the world we live in today. Over half of The United States population of approximately ninety-two million people lived on farms or in small towns far away from major cities. Country roads were few and most people traveled on trails or ruts created by horse drawn wagons. Much of the population had never seen an automobile, and comforts we now take for granted, like light, heating, running water, bathrooms, washers, telephones, or mail delivery were virtually non-existent. The world was rapidly changing however as this was the beginning of the modern age. Of all the changes that were to affect everyday life, one of the most important was the bright white light of the oil lamp provided by the Aladdin Mantle Lamp. |
Lighting Types and Bulbs