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The ancient history of wedding rings
2024-10-16 18:38:45 / MISTERE&KURIOZITETE
Celebrating engagement or marriage with a ring is an integral part of many cultures today. But you might be surprised to learn that wearing a ring on the fourth finger of the left hand is a tradition that dates back at least 1,000 years.
It is a practice that is thought to stem from the belief that a vein runs from this finger to the heart. It is otherwise called Vena Amoris. This idea is often attributed to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, but the origin of the ring itself still remains unclear.
However, archaeologists have discovered gold rings that belong to the era of Ancient Egypt. But before the reign of the Ptolemies, there was no formal marriage ceremony. Marriage contracts were practised, but they remained mostly restricted between families.
From Egypt, the use of rings is believed to have spread to the Greeks and Etruscans, and thus to ancient Rome. Although in fact the ancient Greeks exchanged rings as symbols of love, not marriage. So when did engagement rings start being used?
When it comes to the origins of engagement rings, all roads lead to Rome, or so it would seem. "Roman rings bearing the symbol of 2 clasped hands are commonly understood as engagement rings," explains Karen Hersh, professor of classical Greek and Roman history at Temple University.
This symbol of clasped hands is a common emblem between the Greeks and Romans, lending some credence to the fact that there was mutual exchange between these peoples. In general, rings were very important to ancient cultures, says Hersh, who is also the author of the book "The Roman Wedding: Ritual and Their Meaning in Antiquity."
They denoted wealth and status, and were worn by those with special political roles and represented symbolic and religious significance. Other evidence points to the use of rings in Roman engagements.
For example, Pliny the Elder noted that in his time "an iron ring is sent as a gift to a woman when she is engaged, but without any stone in it". "There is enough evidence to say that the rings were given as a sign of promise" - emphasizes Hersh.
The ring would be offered in an event known as a sponsalia, an informal agreement to marry, normally between the groom and the father of the bride. These engagement rings – known as Annuli Pronubi – may have changed over time, from the simple iron rings described by Pliny to those of silver and gold.
Around the 3rd century AD, it was common practice (at least among elites) for engagements to be accompanied by these most valuable materials. Although wedding rings were probably not used in ancient Rome, the practice of offering them to celebrate engagements may have inspired their use during wedding ceremonies by the Christian Church.
In the Middle Ages, they had become a symbol of love and permanent union. So the act of putting a ring on someone's finger with the intention of getting married has a long history. Of course, not every part of the tradition is ancient: the diamond-encrusted engagement ring was created as a result of cunning marketing that dates back only to the mid-20th century. / Bota.al
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