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Lighting · Decoration · 1.21

How to Make a Lantern

A torch wrapped in iron, and far prettier for it. The lantern is the only light you can hang from a chain, swinging gently over a doorway or a mineshaft.

The recipe

A torch ringed by eight iron nuggets. Nuggets come from a single iron ingot.

→
x9
|
→

Grab the grids on Astroworld crafting or look up the torch and iron nugget.

Hang it or stand it

Hung

Place it under a block, a fence, or a stack of chains, and it dangles. This is the lantern’s signature, and it looks superb over paths and entrances.

Standing

Set it on top of any block like a normal light. Unlike a torch it has real depth, so it reads as a proper lamp on a table or post.

The soul lantern

+8 nuggets→

Use a soul torch instead and the lantern burns blue: dimmer (light 10), eerie, and it keeps piglins at bay near a Nether base.

Good to know

Brightest light

Light level 15, the maximum, so one lantern covers a wide area and stops mob spawns.

Works underwater

Lanterns are waterloggable, so they keep shining when placed in water.

Chains for looks

Stack chains above a hung lantern for a tall pendant light over stairwells and halls.

Quick answers

What is the recipe?
One torch in the centre surrounded by eight iron nuggets. The nuggets come from an iron ingot, which crafts into nine.
Where do iron nuggets come from?
Crafting one iron ingot gives nine nuggets, or you can smelt iron tools and armour down into nuggets.
Can a lantern hang?
Yes, that is its trick. Place it on the underside of a block, a fence or a chain and it dangles, unlike a torch which only mounts on top or a wall side.
Does it work underwater?
Yes. Lanterns are waterloggable, so they keep glowing while submerged, handy for lighting underwater builds.
What is a soul lantern?
Built with a soul torch instead of a normal one. It glows blue, gives slightly dimmer light, and scares piglins away like soul fire.
How bright is it?
A normal lantern is light level 15, the brightest there is, the same as a torch but it looks far nicer hung from a chain.

Compare it to a plain torch, look up the lantern, chain and iron nugget in the items database, or open the crafting recipes for the exact grid.