The History of Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands
By Reno Charlton
These days, many people take wedding bands and engagement
rings for granted, and although they give these beautiful items of
jewellery with integrity and love, they are often given with no real
knowledge of the meaning behind them.
Both wedding bands and engagement rings are very special
items of jewellery; in fact, they are more than just jewellery - they
are the symbols of many emotions and promises such as:
- Love
- Commitment
- Fidelity
- Eternity
- Honour
But where - and why - did these popular and
sentimental pieces of jewellery stem from?
The History Of Wedding Bands
These items of jewellery have a history that spans
many centuries and passes through many countries from all around the
planet. Below, you will find a brief history of the wedding and engagement
ring, as reported from country to country.
EGYPTIANS
The now-famous wedding
band is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt, where it
is said that plant sections were fashioned in to circles to signify
never-ending and immortal love.
It was thought that the fourth finger (which we now
know as the ring finger) contained a special vein that was connected
directly to the heart, and therefore this became the official finger
for the wedding band.
ROMANS
The Romans also agreed with the Egyptians with regards
to the wedding ring finger and its meaning, but rather than offering
wedding bands as a symbol of love, they awarded them as a symbol of
ownership. Roman men would "claim" their woman with the giving of
a ring.
ASIANS / ARABS
Puzzle rings were a complex type of jewellery that
were once popular in Asia, and these jewels had the charming knack
of being able to fall apart and put back together again - if you knew
how to do this, of course.
Wealthy Middle Eastern men then began to use these
rings as wedding bands for their wives, who were often forced to wear
a puzzle ring when their husband was away.
The husband would know upon his return whether any
of his wives had been disloyal by removing the ring whilst he was
away, because the ring was designed to collapse upon removal and could
only be put together again if you had the skill and knowledge required.
EUROPEANS
Several centuries ago, the Europeans became rather
taken with what we would class as an engagement ring, but was then
called a Poesy Ring. This ring was given to a loved one as a form
of promise, and signified fidelity and love.
The Poesy Ring was offered as a pledge of eternal
togetherness, much as today's engagement rings are offered as a promise
of eternal marriage.
AMERICANS
During Colonial times, all items of jewellery in America
were prohibited due to their apparent moral worthlessness. Instead,
a more practical thimble was given as a token of love and as a pledge
of eternal togetherness.
However, after they were married, the women tended
to remove the bottom of their "engagement thimble" to form a type
of ring.
History Of Engagement Rings
The engagement ring of today also has its own varied
and interesting history, some of which is explored below. Engagement
rings have been known by many different names, have symbolised a variety
of different things and have not always been made of precious metals
and stunning gems!
GREEKS
The ancient Greeks are thought to have been the forerunners
in the rising of the traditional engagement ring. Given as a token
of care and affection, the rings used by the Greeks were known as
betrothal rings and were given before marriage.
However, the giving of these rings was not always
a pre-requisite to marriage and was often given in the same way as
a friendship ring might be given today.
ROMANS
As seen by their use of the wedding ring, ancient
Romans weren't the most sentimental of people, and the early version
of their "engagement ring" were thought to have carved keys on them.
It has been debated that this could have been to symbolise
the woman's right to access and own half of everything following marriage.
However, the more sentimental like to think that the key may have
been a key to her husband's heart.
ROYALTY AND THE AFFLUENT
Engagement rings as we know them today - stunning
gems encased in precious metals - became popular in around the fourteenth
or fifteenth century, when the affluent and the royals began to exchange
and wear these jewels.
However, these items were so expensive that nobody
other than the royals and the rich could afford to exchange them.
It was to be many centuries before these engagement rings would become
more popular or traditional.
Why a ring?
The purpose of engagement rings and wedding bands
is to convey deep emotions of eternal love, eternal happiness, eternal
commitment, and eternal togetherness. In fact, these rings signify
eternity - between the giver and the recipient. A ring, of course,
is a complete circle with no break and no end or beginning, which
means that it just goes on and on - it is eternal.
And, since folklore has it that the fourth finger
of the left hand has a vein leading directly to the heart, it is only
natural that both engagement and wedding rings would be worn on this
particular finger, which was once reputed to be a direct route to
the heart.
Summary
In short, it is clear that the giving of a ring in
honour of a union, betrothal, and marriage has been going on since
ancient times, and although it may not always have been as glamorous
and romantic as it is today, it was still a way of exchanging a contract
of betrothal or marriage.
Thankfully, today's wedding bands and engagement rings
are not made of hair, grass, plants or twine as they may have been
in ancient times, but of beautiful metals set with stunning gems,
such as platinum, titanium, white gold, gold, sapphires, diamonds,
rubies and emeralds.
These incredible items of jewellery are likely to
remain as popular as ever as the centuries go by, and even as the
rest of the world advances in to a futuristic and technological age,
it's hard to imagine a day where a beautiful diamond engagement ring
doesn't melt the heart of its recipient.
About The Author:
Reno Charlton is an award-winning author and freelance writer from
the West Midlands, England. She has written many articles providing
consumer information on such topics as jewelry
boxes, and promise
rings.
