Learning about the History of Wedding Rings
Wedding rings are an important part of wedding ceremonies and as a result, you can find virtually any style wanted. While the wedding ring industry is worth billions of dollars, this simple band is also a cherished symbol of two people in love joining lives to become one. The history of wedding rings is not written in stone but there are several facts that have been documented throughout time.
Many experts and researchers believe the history of wedding rings dates back to medieval times when round fetters were worn, a symbol showing that a certain woman was the property of a certain man. However, other historians believe the presentation of the round fetter was more an act of friendship or good faith by people living during the cave dwelling era. We do know for sure that during the Shakespearean era, wedding rings were worn and inscribed with some type of sentimental message.
Now, as far as history of wedding rings and the placement on the left hand index finger, this custom dates back to a Grecian fable that tells a story of this particular finger having an artery that flows straight to the heart. While modern medicine tells us this is nothing but folklore, today wedding rings are still worn on the left hand index finger. However, in the Elizabethan era, wedding rings were actually worn on the thumb.
Archaeologists discovered unique hieroglyphics in Egyptian tombs of wedding rings, which were often depicted as being designed with semi-precious or precious gems. What makes this find so fascinating is that actual rings from the Roman Empire were unearthed, many that looked nothing like the hieroglyphics. In fact, many of the uncovered wedding rings were quite ugly.
History also shows us that the daughter of King Henry VIII, Princess Mary, was presented with a tiny wedding circlet during her wedding to King Francis I. At that time, the princess was just two years of age and her new husband only eight months old. Obviously, customs from the 16th century were quite different from what we see today but the symbolism of the wedding ring was much the same.
Sometime around 870, wedding rings became an important part of Christian weddings according to Hebrew customs taken from the Bible. At that time, bands were quite narrow and thin. However, the history of wedding bands shows us that these metal bands became wider and heavier over time, which represented a position of power and wealth by the couple and in fact, the wider and heavier the band, the more prominent the bride and groom.
The exchange of wedding rings between bride and groom soon took hold. We know that prior to World War II; the double ring ceremony involved only 15% of weddings but once war broke out, the number of couples exchanging rings increased to around 70%. Because of this, jewelers ran short of materials in 1944, simply unable to keep up with high demand.
Today, wedding rings are exchanged to symbolize a man and woman living two separate lives joining as a couple or one person, and the circle of the ring represents never-ending love. The history of wedding rings has evolved but this one piece of jewelry remains a constant reminder and public display that a person is legally spoken for. With thousands of design options, to include different metals and gems, especially diamonds, couples now have a way of expressing their own personality while symbolizing their marital commitment.
