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Pyrotechnics is a field of study often thought synonymous with the manufacture of fireworks, but more accurately has a wider scope that includes items for military and industrial uses.
The birthplace of pyrotechnic is generally recognized as China. It is said that a Chinese cook accidently mixed three common kitchen ingredients (black powder): Potassium nitrate or salt petre, sulphur and charcoal and lighted it. |
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The result was colourful flames. The cook also noticed that if the mixture was burned when enclosed in the hollow of a bamboo shoot, there was a tremendous explosion.
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Pyrotechnics have had a million different uses in our civilization. The ancient Chinese used them in their battles against the invading Mongolian hordes. During the gold rush, miners used dynamite to blow up rock that was in the way of their treasure. Today we use this chemical for construction, destruction, in the military, and well, fireworks! The rockets that landed in Baghdad follow the same basic recipe used by the ancient Chinese thousands of years ago. |
'Firework enthusiasts' - the very phrase conjures up all the wrong images, but that is how we began. We were using the largest fireworks available to the general public and developed an interest in the art of pyrotechnics. This includes all aspects of designing and firing a display which to an audience is entertaining, exciting, and above all safe.
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