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:
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.
Create A Beautifull Wedding Album With A Simple And Fun Way
Hi If you are getting married or have a Bar Bat Mitzvah or special event then you should read this article. Many times people who have an important event hire a photographer, videographer wedding consultants, and or coordinators, florists, lino service, ect.
Celebrating Wedding Anniversary With A Limousine
Planning for a date for your anniversary is good way of showing how much you love your spouse, especially if you have been together for a long time. As we all know that a lot of couples are filing a divorce because they cant really work it out. So, celebrating a wedding anniversary with a class is vey rare now a days.
Wedding Favors - Candles
Many of us love candles, they simply show the flame of love and passion to one another There are many uses of it that can give a good impression to other people
Same-Sex Wedding Expos Tour California
The national gay & lesbian wedding resource, RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, has announced that the company will be producing four GLBTQ Wedding & Family Expos in California this summer, in celebration of the May 15th ruling by the state Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage. The Expos will also include the Same Love, Same Rights® Mobile Marriage Summit, an interactive forum to motivate and educate attendees about the potential threats to the new legislation, as well as innovative ways to enact real change all across America concerning marriage equality. The Expos will be held in July in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Long Beach. Each event is free for the public to attend.
Tips For Planning The Ultimate Outdoor Wedding
Planning an outdoor wedding can be very entertaining. Unfortunately it can also be a very uncertain business. The elements can conspire to soak or bake your wedding respectively; swarms of locusts could descend upon the bridesmaids; or it could just plain be too windy.
Wedding Party Favor Etiquette
The favors for the wedding party that usually includes the bridesmaids, groomsmen and other people very close to the couple should stand apart from the rest of the party favors Weddings are elaborate affairs in most instances and members of the wedding party are very involved in the entire celebration helping in everything from dress selection to venue choices and food sampling
Wedding Planning Budget
Wedding Planning Budget
Wedding Ceremony Music By Dj Babylon Videobabylon.ca
Entertainment is a vital part of any Toronto wedding ceremony In fact, all cities in Canada have realized the importance that entertainment plays in setting a good tempo in wedding ceremonies
Personalized Wedding Favors
Personalized wedding favors are among the most popular of gift selections made by brides and grooms to show appreciation to the guests sharing in their wedding day. Traditional ceremonies have made wedding favors a part of the celebration since the sixteenth century.
Wedding Rings Need Insurance Too
Your wedding ring is more than just the one piece of jewelry that you wear all the time. It's a symbol of the love and commitment that exists between you and your partner. It may also be a family heirloom, or, together with your engagement ring, it may represent a sizeable financial investment. In any case, if it was to be stolen from your home, the loss would be devastating. This is why you should consider adding coverage for it to your insurance package.
5 Tips For a Champagne Wedding on a Shoestring Budget
Are you faced with planning a wedding on a shoestring budget Considering the state of today?s economy, you can rest assured that you?re not alone
What Numerology Reveals About 07/07/07, The Most Popular Wedding Date in Recorded History
The date of 07-07-07 may well be the most popular wedding date of all time ... but is this date so lucky for everyone? As the ancient science of numerology reveals, this wedding date could prove to be more fortunate for some than for others.
Wedding Flowers
The selection process of your wedding flowers will usually begin with a discussion of the Bride's bouquet. You will have a choice of several basic styles.
Tips to Start Commemorating Your Wedding
Planning a Spring wedding is certainly what most brides will sought after Spring is a season where everything is fresh, new and blooming therefore, having a wedding in spring brings out more meaning to the beginning of a new fresh life for the newly wed
Tips For Shopping For Wedding Day Essentials
Tips For Buying Essentials For Your Wedding Day