Hi again. Well I've gone and done it again and stumped myself in a conversation. My friend and I were discussing wedding rings the other day. She's getting married soon and was wondering what my partner and I had done for our wedding rings. As the discussion progressed we started to wonder whether all cultures have wedding rings and if so, if they also customarily wear them on their left hand. It seems that there may be some cultural/generational differences if my parents serve as an example, neither of them has worn a wedding ring for as long as I can remember and it doesn't seem to bother them any. So what is the deal with wedding rings, where do they come from, why do we wear them rather than signify our romantic commitments in other ways?
The google search
According to wikipedia, the tradition of wearing a ring started in Egypt. This was coroborrated by a few other websites. Although I had a very hard time finding any more official or academic websites, not connected to some sort of online jewelry seller.
Not too surprisingly, it appears that traditionally only women wore rings and it wasn't until much later that men began to wear them as well. *Funny, note that with my engagement ring, I insisted that my partner also wear one if I was going to, and it seems that others have also done this - new trend?*
In my original conversation, my friend and I came up with the theory that wedding/engagement rings must have something to do with the symbolism of a circle - eternal love - all that sort of thing
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| http://slowbuddy.com/photography/pictures-of-love/ |
but no. Instead, which makes so much more sense, it's all about money$!
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| http://express.howstuffworks.com/wq-money.htm |
Rings were most likely a way of sealing the promise of an exchange of monetary value between the two families. In a sense that tradition continues to this day, with people who appear to need the largest diamond ever excavated sitting on their finger, to prove to them that their partner is going to be willing to pay for every little need/desire they may have in their remaining years on this earth.Granted, I understand that some people just really like diamonds. ;)
Here are some other handy little facts that I found across multiple unsatisfactory websites and collected for your enjoyment:
1) The ring may traditionally be worn on the left hand because Egyptians and Romans understood that a major artery connected this location to the heart. The Romans apparently called it the Vena amoris - vein of love.
2) As my friend and I hypothesized, the ring is also worn both for it's symbolism of eternity and for the symbolism of capturing the spirit.
3) The hole of the ring can symbolize an entrance into the unknown.
4) In some other countries, such as (apparently) France, women sometimes wear three intertwined rings, symbolizing friendship, fidelity, and love.
5) Historically, rings were not always high value items. Some believe that initially plant materials were used, then metals such as iron or copper, and finally more "precious" metals such as gold, silver, or platinum.
And then there are the modern inventions.
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| http://thecheeky.com/anti-cheating-ring |
For more interesting facts, check out this website, although it's associated with a jewelry seller, it's fun and interesting. Not sure where her information came from though, since she cites no resources.
And one more website for information about different ring practices around the world. Although, again, the author cites no resources.
And the closest to an academic book about the topic that I could easily find.
Enjoy!
