A dark lantern is a candle lantern with a sliding shutter so that it may conveniently be made dark without extinguishing the candle (archaically, dark lanthorn). The term may also mean: The Dark Lantern, a 1653 poem by George Wither.
What were lanterns used for?
Lantern is a device used to illuminate surrounding space. It can be portable or fixed to a place. It can be used as any kind of a light source, for signaling, decoration, in religious rituals or in celebrations.
How did old lanterns work?
Gas lanterns are incandescent lights. They burn a fuel like propane, white gas or kerosene to produce heat, and the heat causes the mantles to produce light. The mantles are a ceramic mesh that encase the flame produced by the lantern. … Just about any heated material will produce light.