To the best of archaeological knowledge, the first attempt at man-made lighting occurred about 70,000 years ago. The first lamp was invented made of a shell, hollowed-out rock, or other similar non-flammable object which was filled with a combustible material (probably dried grass or wood), sprinkled with animal fat (the original lighter fluid) and ignited.
As time passed, materials such as pottery and alabaster were used. Wicks were added to the lamp to control the rate of burning. Around the 7th century BC, the Greeks started making terra cotta lamps to replace handheld torches. In fact, the word lamp is derived from the Greek wordlampas meaning torch.
Lamp developments continued but still used the same basic technology - control the burning of a fuel (natural oils, waxes, and the like) with wicks, tubes, chimneys, vents, and other similar devices, and put it in an attractive and/or practical housing.
Lamp developments continued but still used the same basic technology - control the burning of a fuel (natural oils, waxes, and the like) with wicks, tubes, chimneys, vents, and other similar devices, and put it in an attractive and/or practical housing.
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| Illustration Of The First Lamp |
The first electric lamp was the CARBON-ARC LAMP, demonstrated in 1801 by Sir Humphrey Davy, an English chemist. Electric lights became popular only after the incandescent lamp was developed independently by Sir Joseph Swan in England and Thomas Edison in the United States. The latter patented his invention in 1880 and subsequently made it the commercial success that it is today.
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| Lighting A Street Gas Lamp |
Gaslight fixtures were ornate and decorative whether they were used outdoors or indoors. Echoing the design themes of the times, they integrated well into contemporary architecture. Strangely enough, even while the incandescent lamp was gaining ground, new developments in the gaslight continued.
What do you use for your Lighting other than Electricity?
courtesy of http://www.ies.org
