Terry Foreman on 20 May 2012  •  Link

Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes....Fireworks (devices) take many forms to produce the four primary effects: noise, light, smoke, and floating materials (confetti for example). They may be designed to burn with flames and sparks of many colors, typically red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, and silver. Displays are common throughout the world and are the focal point of many cultural and religious celebrations.

Fireworks date back to the 10th century and originated in China. The Chinese developed many different kinds of fireworks with a variety of effects and color..During the Song Dynasty (960–1279), many of the common people could purchase various kinds of fireworks from market vendors, and grand displays of fireworks were also known to be held...With the development of chinoiserie in Europe, Chinese fireworks began to gain popularity around the mid-17th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire…

San Diego Sarah on 22 Apr 2021  •  Link

Michaela asked me to share the link below which has fascinating information on the kind of fireworks which Pepys might have seen, from a book called "Mathematical Recreations" by Jean Leurechon, and translated into English in 1653:
https://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.go…