What do wedding rings symbolize: history and traditions

Photo: diamond nexus

An engagement ring is truly a complex piece of jewelry. It is a symbol of eternal love, fidelity and family values. People are so accustomed to the tradition of exchanging wedding rings that they don’t even think about its origin.

When did these decorations appear? Have they always symbolized endless love? How have the traditions associated with this accessory changed? What types of engagement rings are most popular these days? Our article will talk about this.

Wedding ring in ancient Egypt

The story of the wedding ring begins in the deserts of North Africa, where the ancient Egyptian civilization arose on the fertile floodplains of the Nile River.
Ancient wedding ring

Although the exact date of origin of the wedding ring is unknown, historians primarily talk about Ancient Egypt, where this tradition of wearing a wedding ring appeared. Archaeological discoveries led them to this conclusion. And images on artifacts such as papyrus scrolls have revealed an ancient tradition of exchanging rings made of reeds and hemp. The first wedding rings were made of sedge, reed or reed, often looking more like bracelets. Such rings, of course, quickly disintegrated and were replaced with new ones, gradually using more durable materials: leather, animal bones, stone, wood. Then, with the development of metal processing, iron was used, and the noble and rich used gold.

Ancient wedding rings discovered by archaeologists

During excavations in Egypt, archaeologists discovered unique wedding rings dating back to 4-5 thousand years BC, with semi-precious and precious stones. An interesting fact is that wedding rings discovered in the Roman Empire and dating back to 2000 BC look exactly like those found in Ancient Egypt. In one of the burials, an Egyptian buried around 2800 BC was found wearing a wedding ring made of one silver and one gold wire on the third finger of his left hand. Archaeologists also found mention of wedding rings in ancient Egyptian manuscripts, that wedding rings were worn on the middle finger of the hand.

Hands of an ancient sculpture with a wedding ring

The ancient Greek writer, bibliographer and philosopher Plutarch gives an interesting historical background, citing the work of the Greek-Egyptian writer and grammarian Apion “The Wonders of Egypt” and the five-volume history of Egypt (which has not survived to this day), about why it is customary to wear a wedding ring on the ring finger : “According to ancient legend, the Egyptians wore a wedding ring on the finger of their left hand closest to the little finger because... They believed in the so-called “vein of love,” which is located on the ring finger of the left hand and opens the path straight to the heart.

This tradition was later borrowed from the Egyptians by the ancient Greeks, and from them passed on to the Romans, who already had a wedding ritual in their traditions, which was called “vena amoris”, which is translated from Latin as “vein of love”.

Types of wedding rings

Photo: bonheims Modern engagement rings are made of white, yellow, red gold, silver, platinum and even copper.
Depending on the design, there are the following types: Classic

- a universal option. A product with a smooth surface and a laconic design that never goes out of style. Engraving on the inside can be used as decoration.

Tapeworm

– a classic model with a precious stone in the center of the product. Often used for engagement.

Trinity

- a product made from intertwined bases of white, yellow and red gold, which symbolizes love, friendship and fidelity.

Eternity

– a circular path strewn with diamonds. Symbolizes eternal love. This piece goes well with a classic engagement solitaire.

Washer

– a wide product with rectangular edges, quite massive, but very strong and durable.

Trilogy

– a decoration with three precious stones in the center. A popular model that symbolizes the past, present and future of the new family.

Crown

– a fresh trend in the world of wedding decorations. The product in the form of a crown is suitable for women and men. But they are not very practical for daily wear.

Ring with moving element

- a non-standard and creative option. The moving part rotates along the rim thanks to miniature bearings and can be decorated with relief or precious stones.

Braiding

- suitable only for women and symbolizes the triple feminine energy necessary for housekeeping, raising children and maintaining harmony in relationships with your husband.

These are not all types of wedding rings, but only the most popular models. New trends are constantly emerging in jewelry. This also applies to wedding rings. One thing remains unchanged: this decoration is always associated with sincere love.

Wedding ring in ancient Rome

The ancient Romans borrowed the wedding ring tradition from ancient Egypt, but with their own twist. At the beginning, the groom gave the wedding ring to the bride's parents as a sign that he could support his family, and if they accepted him, he took her with him. Unlike the Egyptians, who viewed wedding rings as a symbol of love, historians believe that the Romans viewed wedding rings as a symbol of ownership. That is, the wife now belonged to the husband.

XVIII century

Silver "poetic rings" with sentimental sentiments engraved on their surface became fashionable jewelry throughout Europe (but especially in England and France). At the same time, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, practical Puritans presented their brides not with rings, but with thimbles useful for household use. However, American brides did not favor such an expression of affection, and many thimbles sooner or later lost their upper parts and were worn as rings.

Engagement ring in the Far and Middle East

Assembled wedding ring puzzle

Men in the East created the "puzzle ring". These rings were foldable and it was necessary to carry out several manipulations to remove it. If these manipulations were incorrect, the ring would fall apart. Only the husband and the jeweler who made it knew the secret of how to put on and take off a wedding ring. Such “puzzle rings” were used to keep a wife faithful, and if she cheated with a wedding ring on her hand, both the wife and her lover were killed.

Disassembled wedding ring - puzzle

In Japan and Ancient China there was another tradition that was associated with the emperor's harem. The servant put a silver ring on the finger of the geisha's left hand when she went to the emperor's bed. And when leaving the emperor, if she had fulfilled her duties well, then the woman took off the ring from her left hand and put it on her right hand. In a metaphysical sense, the wedding ring in China and the Japanese Empire, as well as among other ancient peoples, corresponds to fire and the sun, and is a symbol of endless circulation, a symbol of constancy.

Early 19th century

Victorian jewelers experimented with jewelry. This is how jewelry made from human hair appears, as well as the idea of ​​expressing one’s feelings literally in the language of gems. For example, if a gentleman wanted to give a lady a piece of jewelry with the inscription DEAREST, he could order a ring inlaid with the following sequence of precious stones: Diamond, Emerald, Amethyst , ruby ​​(English Ruby) and so on.

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Wedding ring in Judea

According to one of the many legends, the ancient Jews, residents of Judea, gave a coin instead of a wedding ring. By this they signified the groom's obligation to support his wife. Over time, the custom of giving coins turned into the custom of giving wedding rings, which is still alive today. This tradition, in this exact meaning, was accepted by Christians - as a gift, with the help of which the idea of ​​fidelity of spouses to each other was transmitted, like a “loyalty ring”. In Italy, in the city of Perugia, an ancient relic is kept to this day - an engagement ring with an amethyst, which, according to ancient legend, Joseph gave to the Virgin Mary upon betrothal. Wedding rings from the shackles of Ekaterina and Sergei Trubetskoy. Regarding wearing a ring on one hand or another, representatives of different religions have their own opinions on this matter. Orthodox Christians and Eastern Europeans wear a wedding ring on their right hand. The wedding ring is worn on the ring finger because it interferes least with work. The fact that the ring is placed on the right hand is a symbolic expression of honoring marriage. Jews wear it on the left hand, despite the fact that during the wedding ceremony the ring is worn on the right hand. In Holland, Catholics wear a ring on their left hand, everyone else wears it on their right; In Austria, Catholics wear a ring on their right hand. In Belgium, the choice of hand depends on the region. Greeks, many of whom are Orthodox, wear a wedding ring on their right hand in accordance with Greek tradition. The reason for this lies in the custom of the Romans to wear a wedding ring on the right hand, because in Latin the word for “left” would be “sinister”, which in English means “evil, sinister”. In Latin, “right” would be “dexter,” from which in English the word “dexterity” comes, which means “agility, dexterity, skill.” Therefore, the left hand is associated with negative feelings, and the right hand with positive feelings. There were exceptions to these rules. For example, in England during the reign of King George I, wedding rings were worn on the thumb. They did the same in India. True, the newlyweds there did not wear wedding rings for long at all - after a while they were transferred for some kind of bracelet. In medieval Europe, wedding rings “roamed” literally over all the fingers of both hands, having been on the index finger and even on the little finger. In Russia, only under Catherine the Great, in 1755, did the Holy Synod combine the rite of exchange of rings - betrothal with wedding. Unusual wedding rings source

Traditions and signs

As you can see, the tradition of wearing wedding rings dates back thousands of years. True, men began to wear them constantly relatively recently, already in the 20th century, but that’s a completely different story.

During this time, wedding bands have acquired an impressive layer of signs and superstitions. Let's remember the most enduring of them and dispel the myths:

• Wedding rings should be smooth and modest, without stones or decoration - then family life will be problem-free. However, even church wedding rings are now richly decorated. Even though these are predominantly Christian symbols and prayers, there is no talk of any smoothness. What can we say about worldly weddings?

• Dropping a ring in the registry office means trouble. What rumors do not predict in this case: from divorce to the imminent death of one of the spouses. The newlyweds are already incredibly worried, but there is also the task of not dropping the rings under any circumstances. Of course, they get dropped, but this is only worse for the jewelry (they can get scratched or deformed).
• You cannot change wedding rings before your golden wedding. Can you imagine how fashion has changed over half a century? During this time, you may get tired of your favorite ring. It can also get lost (and that’s okay, except for additional expenses!), stop fitting in size, and so on. In general, if you want or need to, change it: family life will not suffer from it.

If a girl finds a wedding ring, folk signs predict a quick happy marriage. But you must believe in good omens - then they will come true! The history and traditions of wedding rings are contradictory in many ways. The thickness of centuries has hidden from us many significant events and changes in the appearance of engagement rings, but this does not make them cease to be the most recognizable symbols of marriage. Even adherents of cultures that do not have the custom of exchanging rings in principle are slowly beginning to find charm in this global romantic trend!

11.06.21

Literature

• Rings, rings // Biblical encyclopedia of Archimandrite Nikephoros. - M., 1891-1892.

Metal

When choosing one of the most significant wedding symbols, such nuances as appearance, quality, convenience, size, cost and compatibility with lifestyle and appearance are taken into account.

The metal from which the accessory is made is chosen based on the couple's tastes and budget. In addition, the likelihood of allergic reactions to certain impurities in the composition of the products is taken into account.

The classic option is gold. However, nowadays many people prefer silver rings because this metal is purer and has the title of ecclesiastical metal. It is important to remember that silver tends to turn black over time, and products made from it require special care.

White gold and platinum are popular. Metals are expensive, but this is compensated by the fact that the rings made from them are the most durable and resistant to damage and abrasion. Those who want to stand out opt ​​for red, black, blue and rose gold.

Size

Which wedding rings to buy? Signs still do not have a primary role. The most important thing is the order of selection. Having decided on the metal, you should pay attention to the size, which is important to choose correctly.

The size of the accessory depends on the thickness of the finger:

• The diameter is measured in millimeters and varies from 15 to 23.
• The most popular men's sizes are 21-23, women's sizes are 17-18.
• There are also half sizes (18.5). They are the key to an extremely precisely selected decoration.

It is best to come to the fitting several times and do it together. Be sure to pay attention to the manufacturer (rings from well-known brands fit perfectly on your finger). The optimal time to visit a jewelry store is in the afternoon. It is worth considering the factors that affect the thickness of the finger: they swell from heat, and shrink from frost. It also makes sense to refrain from drinking large amounts of water and playing sports before trying on, as your fingers will swell.

Recommendations

You need to take care of your purchase in advance. For people prone to allergic reactions, it is better to choose products made of platinum, titanium or silver. When completing your study of which wedding rings are best to buy and the signs about them, you should listen to a few more useful tips:

1. The couple does not have to buy the same jewelry, but it is better if they are models with similar motifs.
2. Style: the accessory should be suitable for both everyday wear and evening wardrobe.
3. Don’t be upset if an expensive and desired piece of jewelry is not available right now. It can be purchased later, for example, for an anniversary.
4. It's not worth saving either.
5. The ring should be comfortable.

This is enough to know what an engagement ring should be. Signs and belief in them are a personal matter. Everyone decides for himself whether to ignore long-known signs or carefully follow each of them. Regardless of the choice of ring design, you must remember that the symbol of family, love and fidelity should not only be beautiful, but also comfortable and durable.

Where do you wear the ring after a divorce?

On which hand do divorced women wear their engagement ring? Ladies often put it on their left hand, on the ring finger. Most men follow the same method of wearing.

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