ORIGIN OF FIREWORKS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 342, 4 March 1911, Page 7

ORIGIN OF FIREWORKS.

Artificial fires wore used by the ancients in their sacrifices and ceremonies, but not in public rejoicings. The rise of feux-de-joie, or fireworks, given merely for amusing spectacles to delight the eye, dates from the invention of powder and cannon at the close of the thirteenth century. It was these two inventions, doubtless, whose effects furnished the ideas of all these machines and artifices with which we are now so familiar. We are indebted to the Florentines and the Siennese, not only for the preparation of powder with other ingredients to amuse the eyes, but also for the invention of elevated machines and decorations adapted to more elaborate spectacular displays They began their attempt at the feasts of St John the Baptist and and the Assumption, on wooden frames, which were adorned with painted statues, from whose mouths and eyes issued a beautiful fire.

Later, grotesque dragons, swans, eagles and other objects were built up large enough to carry many persons, while the mouths of these fantastic creatures gave forth the most amusing fireworks. Rome soon adopted from Florence the use of fireworks, and at the creation of the Popes a great display usually took place. From that time the manufacture of fireworks became an art, which in the present day has been brought to a very high state of perfection, delighting countless thousands, and giving employment to a great number of workers.