Engagement ring
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
History
Engagement bands began in Ancient Egypt as the circle was used to symbolize a never ending cycle and the space in it as a gateway. Betrothal rings were used during Roman times, but were not generally revived in the Western world until the 13th century.[1] Roman men gave engagement rings that included a small key. Romantics believe that the carved key was a symbolic key to protect and cherish the husband’s heart. However, the key most likely stood for the unlocking of wealth.[citation needed]Rings are placed on the fourth finger on the left hand, because Ancient Greeks believed that it contained a vein that led to the heart (vena amoris). Romans believed the ring to be a symbol for ownership rather than love. It meant that the husband would claim his wife. In second century B.C.E., the Roman bride was given two rings, a gold one which she wore in public, and one made of iron, which she could wear at home while doing house chores.[2]
Greeks may have been the first to create engagement rings, but to them they were known as betrothal rings. The rings however were not required to be given before marriage, unlike traditional engagement rings of today.[citation needed]
In Europe, engagement rings were once known as a posie ring. It was given as a form of promise of fidelity and love.[citation needed]
During the age of Colonialism in America, a thimble was given as a sign of eternal companionship. Women would remove the tops of the thimble in order to create a ring.[3] The first well-documented use of a diamond ring to signify engagement was by the Archduke Maximilian of Austria in imperial court of Vienna in 1477, upon his betrothal to Mary of Burgundy.[1] This then influenced those of higher social class and of significant wealth to give diamond rings to their loved ones. Diamond mines in Africa were discovered in 1870, which then increased supply. As production increased, those of lesser means were able to join in on this movement. However, diamond engagement rings were for a long time seen as the domain of the nobility and aristocracy, and tradition often favoured simpler engagement bands. The idea of a diamond engagement ring being a fitting choice for everybody was created in the United States as recently as in the 1930s, and has been aggressively promoted since through the entertainment industry.[4]
Historically, the uses of rings were for “betrothal” reasons such as for the Romans, as it didn’t always signify marriage. In fact, rings were a sign of affection or friendship. The history of engagement rings first originated in 1215, when Pope Innocent III established a waiting period between the promise of marriage, and the actual marriage ceremony. The rings were then signified the couple’s devotion to one another, in that period of time. During that period of time engagement rings often represented one’s social rank as only the rich were allowed to own or wear rings with jewels.
Before the 20th century, other types of betrothal gifts were common. Near the end of the 19th century, it was typical for the bride-to-be to receive a sewing thimble rather than an engagement ring.[1] This practice was particularly common among religious groups that shunned jewelry (plain people). Engagement rings did not become standard in the West until the end of the 19th century, and diamond rings did not become common until in the 1930s in the United States, as a result of an extensive nationwide marketing campaign by the diamond industry. The phenomenon arose even later in other countries.[1] Now, 80% of American women are offered a diamond ring to signify engagement.[1]
Wedding rings amongst men were more common during World War II, as the men overseas wore their rings in reminder of their wives and families back home.[5]
In the 21st century, especially within Western civilization, it has become a common expectation for the bride-to-be to permanently wear her ring as a means to maintain their commitment.[6]
Wedding ring
http://www.wikisummarizer.com/Pages/Default.aspx?Keyword=wedding%20ring
Wedding ring
Short Summary
A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married.
Amen.”—from the Eastern Orthodox Service of Betrothal, part
of the Mysterion of Holy Matrimony (“crowning”), said three times while
the Priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the bride‘s ring over the bridegroom’s head, he then places the bride‘s ring on the groom‘s hand.
Jewish: “You are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.”—said in Hebrew by the groom at an Orthodox Jewish wedding and by both the bride and groom at a Reform Jewish wedding.
According to some customs, the ring forms the last in a series of gifts, which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present.
Full Summary
A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married.
The custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond its origin in Europe.
Originally worn by wives only, wedding rings became customary for both husbands and wives during the 20th century.
According to some customs, the ring forms the last in a series of gifts, which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present.
Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians, the exchange of rings is not technically part of the wedding service, but rather are exchanged at the betrothal.
The orthodox Christian Church of Greece has recently stopped
performing betrothal blessings separately, as these were often
non-committing, and now a betrothal ceremony is the initial part of the wedding service.
The ceremony of betrothal is now possibly performed immediately before the wedding (or “crowning” as it is more properly called), and the actual symbolic act of marriage is not the exchange of rings, but the public exchange of wedding vows.
In more elaborate weddings, a ring bearer (who is often part of the family of the bride or groom) may assist in the ceremonial parading of the rings into the ceremony, often on a special cushion.
According to the prayer book of Edward VI: after the words ‘with this ring I thee wed’ follow the words ‘This gold and silver I give thee’, at which point the groom was supposed to hand a leather purse filled with gold and silver coins to the bride.
Sometimes it went as far as being a conditional exchange as this old (and today outdated) German formula shows: ‘I give you this ring as a sign of the marriage which has been promised between us, provided your father gives with you a marriage portion of 1000 Reichsthalers’.
Marketing lessons of the 1920s, changing economic times, and the
impact of World War II led to a more successful marketing campaign for
male and female wedding bands, and by the late 1940s, double-ring ceremonies made up for 80% of all weddings, as opposed to 15% before the Great Depression.
Jewish: “You are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.”—said in Hebrew by the groom at an Orthodox Jewish wedding and by both the bride and groom at a Reform Jewish wedding.
Amen.”—from the Eastern Orthodox Service of Betrothal, part
of the Mysterion of Holy Matrimony (“crowning”), said three times while
the Priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the bride‘s ring over the bridegroom’s head, he then places the bride‘s ring on the groom‘s hand.
Wedding ring (100)
A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married.
ring (100)
A wedding ring or wedding band is a metal ring indicating the wearer is married.
The custom of wearing such a ring has spread widely beyond its origin in Europe.
According to some customs, the ring forms the last in a series of gifts, which also may include the engagement ring, traditionally given as a betrothal present.
In more elaborate weddings, a ring bearer (who is often part
of the family of the bride or groom) may assist in the ceremonial
parading of the rings into the ceremony, often on a special cushion.
According to the prayer book of Edward VI: after the words ‘with this ring
I thee wed’ follow the words ‘This gold and silver I give thee’, at
which point the groom was supposed to hand a leather purse filled with
gold and silver coins to the bride.
Sometimes it went as far as being a conditional exchange as this
old (and today outdated) German formula shows: ‘I give you this ring
as a sign of the marriage which has been promised between us, provided
your father gives with you a marriage portion of 1000 Reichsthalers’.
Marketing lessons of the 1920s, changing economic times, and the
impact of World War II led to a more successful marketing campaign for
male and female wedding bands, and by the late 1940s, double-ring ceremonies made up for 80% of all weddings, as opposed to 15% before the Great Depression.
Jewish: “You are consecrated to me with this ring according
to the law of Moses and Israel.”—said in Hebrew by the groom at an
Orthodox Jewish wedding and by both the bride and groom at a Reform
Jewish wedding.
Amen.”—from the Eastern Orthodox Service of Betrothal, part of the
Mysterion of Holy Matrimony (“crowning”), said three times while the
Priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the bride’s ring over the bridegroom’s head, he then places the bride’s ring on the groom’s hand.
wedding (55) 
exchange (20)
Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians, the exchange of rings is not technically part of the wedding service, but rather are exchanged at the betrothal.
The ceremony of betrothal is now possibly performed immediately
before the wedding (or “crowning” as it is more properly called), and
the actual symbolic act of marriage is not the exchange of rings, but the public exchange of wedding vows.
Sometimes it went as far as being a conditional exchange as
this old (and today outdated) German formula shows: ‘I give you this
ring as a sign of the marriage which has been promised between us,
provided your father gives with you a marriage portion of 1000
Reichsthalers’.
marriage (18)
The ceremony of betrothal is now possibly performed immediately
before the wedding (or “crowning” as it is more properly called), and
the actual symbolic act of marriage is not the exchange of rings, but the public exchange of wedding vows.
Sometimes it went as far as being a conditional exchange as this
old (and today outdated) German formula shows: ‘I give you this ring as a
sign of the marriage which has been promised between us, provided your father gives with you a marriage portion of 1000 Reichsthalers’.
ceremony (18)
worn (18)
Originally worn by wives only, wedding rings became customary for both husbands and wives during the 20th century.
eastern orthodox (16)
groom (13)
In more elaborate weddings, a ring bearer (who is often part of the family of the bride or groom) may assist in the ceremonial parading of the rings into the ceremony, often on a special cushion.
According to the prayer book of Edward VI: after the words ‘with
this ring I thee wed’ follow the words ‘This gold and silver I give
thee’, at which point the groom was supposed to hand a leather purse filled with gold and silver coins to the bride.
Jewish: “You are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.”—said in Hebrew by the groom at an Orthodox Jewish wedding and by both the bride and groom at a Reform Jewish wedding.
Amen.”—from the Eastern Orthodox Service of Betrothal, part of the
Mysterion of Holy Matrimony (“crowning”), said three times while the
Priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the bride’s ring over the
bridegroom’s head, he then places the bride’s ring on the groom‘s hand.
bride (13)
In more elaborate weddings, a ring bearer (who is often part of the family of the bride or groom) may assist in the ceremonial parading of the rings into the ceremony, often on a special cushion.
According to the prayer book of Edward VI: after the words ‘with
this ring I thee wed’ follow the words ‘This gold and silver I give
thee’, at which point the groom was supposed to hand a leather purse
filled with gold and silver coins to the bride.
Jewish: “You are consecrated to me with this ring according to the
law of Moses and Israel.”—said in Hebrew by the groom at an Orthodox
Jewish wedding and by both the bride and groom at a Reform Jewish wedding.
Amen.”—from the Eastern Orthodox Service of Betrothal, part of the
Mysterion of Holy Matrimony (“crowning”), said three times while the
Priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the bride‘s ring over the bridegroom’s head, he then places the bride‘s ring on the groom’s hand.
History of the Wedding Ring
Published: Nov 2010by Carrie Fox, In the Loupe Editor
from In the Loupe Volume VII
Origins of the Wedding Ring
Ancient EgyptiansThough the exact origin is unknown, historians primarily believe ancient Egypt started the tradition most like our modern wearing of a wedding band. Archeological discoveries, some dating back more than 3,000 years ago, led them to this conclusion. Imagery on artifacts, such as papyrus scrolls, reveal an ancient culture that exchanged rings braided from reeds and hemp. Through translated hieroglyphics, experts learned how this society viewed the circle as a symbol of endless love between a man and woman. Additionally, Egyptians wore wedding bands on the ring finger of their left hands. They believed this finger held a special vein directly connected to the heart. The concept was passed down to other cultures, and centuries later, it was coined by the Latin term vena amoris or vein of love.
Ancient Romans
In ancient Rome, there were several types of recognized marriages, categorized by social class. They included Usus, Coemptio, and Confarreatio. Usus was an informal union reserved for the lowest class. It is often compared to today’s common law marriage. Coemptio was a marriage that involved purchasing one’s bride. While historians believe this was symbolic and not a true sale, fathers were paid for the hands of their daughters. Confarreatio was reserved for the elite class and was the only legal form of marriage at the time. This union was officiated with the groom presenting a ring to his bride. Most rings were made of iron, which led to the tradition of metal wedding rings. Unlike the Egyptians’ symbols of love, however, historians believe the Romans viewed these bands as symbols of possession. The wife now belonged to the husband.
History of the Wedding Ring
By Misty Karam
To Love and to Honor
To Obey
Although the Ancient Romans placed a ring on the fourth finger of their wives hands, the practice had little to do with love and devotion. Rather, wives were a possession to the Romans and the ring was a sign of ownership. Ancient Roman women had no voice in this decision; there was no proposal. Once the women were captured and “ringed,” they were marriedHistory Of The Wedding Ring
by Matt Jacks, Freelance Writer
A recognizable symbol of love…
The wedding ring, that most famous and instantly recognizable symbol of the (hopefully perpetual) joining of a man and a woman as husband and wife in the institution of marriage, has a long, wide spread and mysterious history. Its beginnings lie in the deserts of North Africa, where the ancient Egyptian civilization sprang up along the fertile flood plains of the river Nile. This river was bringer of all fortune and life to the Pharaoh’s people and from plants growing on its’ banks were the first wedding rings fashioned. Sedges, rushes and reeds, growing alongside the well-known papyrus were twisted and braided into rings for fingers and larger bracelets for wrists.
The ring is of course a circle and this was the symbol of eternity for the Egyptians as well as many other ancient cultures. It had no beginning and no end, like time. It returned to itself, like life; and the shape was worshipped in the form of the Sun and the Moon. The hole in the center of the ring is not just space either; it is important in its own right as the symbol of the gateway, or door; leading to things and events both known and unknown.
It is not difficult therefore, to see how the ring and the gift of a ring began to be associated with love, in the hope that this most worthy of emotions could take on the characteristics of the circle and capture eternity.
They wore it like we do today, on the third finger of the left hand, because of a belief that the vein of that finger directly traveled from the heart. This legend was later taken up by the Greeks, when they conquered Egypt under the generalship of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. and from them passed onto the Romans, who called this the ‘vena amoris’, which is Latin for ‘the vein of love’.
These early rings usually lasted about a single year before wear and tear took their inevitable toll. Hemp was probably the first choice, but some decided that they wanted a longer lasting material, and opted for leather, bone or ivory to craft their token of love.
THE ART OF METALLURGY TAKES OVER
When in later years, the arts of metallurgy became known this naturally took over, but surprisingly only very gradually. These early metal rings were often quite clumsily made and uneven in the extreme, so for wedding gifts they had precious and semi-precious stones set into them and these can be seen represented by hieroglyphs in Egyptian tombs. At this time Jewelry was usually more for show than sentiment and used to express wealth. Before coinage gold rings were used for currency and often hidden away until the owners were actively trading.
In early Rome it was iron that was adopted as the metal of choice rather than copper or brass as mostly elsewhere. This symbolized the strength of love a man felt for his chosen woman, though rust was a problem.
The act of giving and acceptance of the ring was now also considered to be legally binding and therefore enforceable. This tied the woman as the property of the man to some views but in truth also protected her rights as bride-to-be, and was summoned upon to prevent her from having her primary position usurped by rivals.
Gold or silver rings were given on occasions, to show all the bridegroom trusted his betrothed with his valuable property, and to symbolize this further, the ring was sometimes shaped as a key rather than a normal circular band. This was not presented at the wedding ceremony as the custom nowadays, but when he carried her in his arms across the threshold of her new home.
After coinage gold was rapidly promoted to first choice and later in medieval Europe gemstones were again a common addition. With rubies chosen for their color of red like a heart, sapphires, blue like the sky above, or most valued and sought after of all; the indestructible diamond.
In renaissance Italy silver made a comeback, and was now selected for the new idea of the engagement, or betrothal ring. These were often highly ornate and usually inlaid with niello, (which is a very decorative form of enamel engraving, colored in black to stand in contrast to the bright metal) on a round or oval bezel. And rather than traditional simple bands, they had clasping hands emerging from the hoop at the front.
Silver became more pre-eminent briefly in the seventeenth century in England and France when they were widely used for wedding rings at the height of the fashion for poesy, or posy rings; this comes from the word ‘poesy’ meaning a ‘love poem’. They were sentimentally inscribed with such, around the wedding band, either within or without, and often faith and hope were included in the verse as well. These were highly popular indeed, as frequent referrals to them in the works of Shakespeare prove. Gold however, began to take over again later, and pushed back silver to the Italian idea of engagement again, with a golden duplicate of the original replacing it on the wedding day.
BAD LUCK IF IT’S NOT MADE OF GOLD
Indeed, it was thought in Irish folklore to be bad luck or even illegal to be married with a ring made of anything but gold. But this was never so in actuality and, like elsewhere many different metals were used. A gold ring though, was often provided for weddings throughout Europe for those who could not afford one, (and immediately reclaimed afterwards).
Other world superstitions include the absolutely essential point of making sure the ring is a perfect fit, for woe betides the future of the marriage if it isn’t. A too-tight ring might point to painful jealousy or the stifling of one party by the other. Too loose, and a parting of the ways through careless acts or forgetfulness is indicated as a future danger to watch for.
The Church of England holds no brook with this however, and does not concern itself with the size or material of the ring so long as it is there. An irony, and a change of heart for sure, as the early Protestant puritans claimed that wedding rings were pagan and not to be used by the Godly. They were further enraged on the subject by a Catholic legend that Joseph and Mary had used one constructed either of onyx or amethyst; and that various churches in Europe had throughout history claimed to hold the ring (which was capable of performing miracles) to attract pilgrims to their vicinity to spend money and hence increase the wealth of the competing abbeys.
Today, almost all Christians accept the wedding ring, (a notable exception to this being the Quakers), doubtlessly helped by the christianization of the old vena amoris tale. Whereby in middle ages England, the bridegroom would slip the ring part way up and then down his bride’s thumb, then first and middle finger, reciting: ‘In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost’ as he touched each one before fixing it in place on the next finger in line; the third finger of the left hand.
WHY THE LEFT HAND?
Well, in some parts of continental Europe it is and always has been the right. There doesn’t seem to be any particular reason that the Christians should have mostly kept this the same as the original. But one thought is; as the man, facing his bride, reaches straight out with his right hand (most people are right handed) he naturally touches her left. As she does his, as now, with more and more men wearing one also, when the rings are exchanged.
This is a modern practice begun mostly during the second world war, a consequence of increased numbers of men being separated from their loved ones and seeking a cheering reminder. This almost happened earlier in history, with the advent of the gemmal ring, alternatively spelled gimmal or gimmel. This was two or three decidedly ornamental links, usually with hands and hearts or knots, fastened together by a hinge, or interlocking like the Olympic rings, and being capable of joining into one. At betrothal, they would be separated, with one given to the woman, one kept by her lover, and if present, the third held by a witness until the wedding day when all would be reunited and henceforth kept by the bride.
Back to fingers though, and the thumb briefly challenged the accepted norm in Elizabethan days as fashionable ladies deemed to wear their wedding rings there, but this did not last and so today it is as it was in the beginning, just like a circle really, or a ring.
CREDITS
Matt Jacks is a successful freelance writer providing tips and advice for consumers purchasing diamond wedding rings, western wedding invitations and perfect wedding dress. His numerous articles offer moneysaving tips and valuable insight on typically confusing topics.
The “History of the Wedding Ring” reprinted with permission. Net Guides Publishing, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment