What the heck is this?
It was a very precious commodity in 17th century France. The rights to its production was usually claimed by seigneurs and nobility, so peasants generally could not afford to own any…unless they raised their own….in which case they’d be smarter to sell it for income rather than use it in their own home.
When habitants could get their hands on it, they use it to
- stiffen linen threads for making shoes.
- apply to wounds as a protective layer.
- make leather items waterproof
- seal containers to keep air out.
- Its most important and valuable use for was the making of candles.
Beeswax candles burned longer, more clearly and with less smoke than animal fat candles.
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Answer – That’s a slab of beeswax.
Jeanne Meeks ~ Fiction Author 