A chandelier light is a ceiling-mounted decorative light fixture with two or more arms that support a light source. Chandeliers light are often ornate, with dozens of lamps and intricate arrays of glass or crystal that illuminate a room by refracting light. The earliest chandeliers light began with the nobility in the Middle Ages, using candles for lighting. They usually feature a wooden cross that can hold candles at the tip, and the whole device can be hung to a suitable height with a string or hook. After the beginning of the 15th century, more responsible designs began to be used, and the ring or crown shape became more popular, used in palaces, nobles, monks and merchants. Lighting at night was expensive, and the chandelier light became a symbol of the wealthy. In the early 18th century, many chandeliers light in merchant-class homes had many curved arms and candles. Neoclassical motifs became an increasingly common element, mostly cast in metal, but also in carved and gilded wood. The development of glass-making techniques in the 18th century brought down the price of hard crystals. The glass properties of this highly refractory light made crystal chandeliers light quickly become a popular form.