Before There Were Matches
I started thinking about how the settlers dealt with light indoors because I found a spill holder at a market in New Hampshire recently. A spill holder is a container for sticks used to transfer fire from the hearth to an oil lamp or candle. Spill holders were usually hung on the mantle or near the hearth. There were no matches. So how did you light a candle? Or a fire, for that matter? Tinder. (I guess that's how the dating app got its name). The items at the right are