History of the lamps. Where lamps do came from?

People have always sought a light even in dark ages. If you think carefully, you will find out why people have called them “dark”. Darkness was never a natural habitat for us, so we have invented thousands of methods how to drive it away.

First prove that ancient people have lamps, was found from 70 000 BC.

This means that even back then people didn't stay in the dark caves. Of course, the structure of the lamp was really simple. It was an empty shell or hollow stone in which they light a fire. They have used fat from animals.  Where this idea came from, it is still a secret. Later, they changed the outer structure of the lamp - metal, terracotta and even marble was used as a material. Different fat was used according to where people lived. For example, if they lived close to the sea, they have used fish fat. If they lived in the mountains, they have used animal fat. Some of them used even olive oil to light a fire. How they have found out that olive oil can be used for this, it is still a secret. This technology was saved centuries. People used so many different shapes and sizes of these primitive lamps that categorizing them is almost impossible.

However, next step in the evolution of lighting devices was Kerosene Lamp invented during the 19th century.

This took place in Germany and its structure was a quite different. The lamp was divided into two parts. Kerosene was stored in the first one and fire in the second. There was a wick, too and glass shell around the fire to protect it from the wind.

During 18 centuries, coal gas was used for lighting devices, too. A completely new pipe structure was built in order to satisfy the demand for new lighting method. Unfortunately, these lamps can`t be moved around the house. Lamp stayed where the pipe with gas was. As you may guess, this was extremely inconvenient. If someone desires to see something under the light, he had to move the object close to the lamp, not the opposite. An interesting fact is that almost whole Western Europe has used this lighting technology. In some cities, people had to bring their lamps next to the windows in order to create some kind of street lighting.

The beginning of the 19 century was significant because Humphry Davy invented incandescent lamp.

The structure was not complex but the invention gives a start of more complex lamps and lighting devices. In 1870, Thomas Edison invented the light bulb with carbon filament. The lamp was capable of lighting more than 1200 hours. Of course, today this number is improved by modern technology but is was a huge success then. Sir Joseph Swann is another famous name, which can be linked to the invention of the first electric light bulb. The mechanism of light bulbs is really simple, electricity heats filament and it radiates light. Of course, if we compare one of these light bulbs with a modern one, we will find hundreds of differences. This mechanism is not energy saving and the life of one light bulb is too short. So people prefer to use more eco-friendly alternatives with longer product life. Today we have a wide range of different lamps not only as a shape but as a material, too. For example, people use lamps from neon lamps, fluorescent, and even LED technology. All of them have different application and people use them for different purposes.