Wedding Rings History

The image of a couple exchanging rings during a wedding ceremony is instantly recognizable and is held as an ancient tradition.

Wedding rings history. Since then wedding rings have been worn on the third finger now commonly referred to as the ring. By the early 1940s engagement rings become the leading line of jewelry in most department stores. A ring on a certain finger indicates that the wearer is married but many might be surprised to learn that the double ring ceremony so common today in the western world in which a couple both exchange and wear rings is a 20 th century convention. The wedding ring s history can be traced all the way back to the ancient egyptians who believed in the vena amoris meaning vein of love theorising that the heart s blood supply ran directly to the third finger of the left hand.

An engagement ring is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married especially in western cultures a ring is presented as an engagement gift by a partner to their prospective spouse when they propose marriage or directly after a marriage proposal is accepted. These histories say the first ring was merely grass twisted into a. Wedding rings today are a billion dollar sentiment of love but no one can really say for sure when this age old tradition actually started. Today i found out the history and symbolism behind the tradition of wearing a wedding ring and why in most western cultures it s worn on the fourth finger of the left hand otherwise known as the ring finger.

After their engagement the future bride and groom each wore one part. The history of wedding rings began in a pagan culture. Giving and receiving a ring swinburne writes is a sign of all others most usual in matrimonial contracts. It matters not what the ring is made of only that it is circular or round and without end.

It changes with each religion and country s view of marriage. It is also true that pagan cultures used wedding rings. The story of the wedding ring does not have one clear path. It is usually forged from metal and traditionally is forged of gold or another precious metal.

It represents a formal agreement to future marriage. A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring that indicates that its wearer is married. The ring is comprised of two interlocking parts. Now more than 80 percent of american brides get diamond engagement rings.

The earliest examples of wedding rings are from ancient egypt western customs for wedding rings can be traced to ancient rome and greece and were transmitted to the present through christendom in europe. Historical records are sketchy and not entirely consistent but available records generally agree that the egyptians started the custom thousands of years ago. During the 16th and 17th centuries gimmel rings were popular. In western countries engagement rings are worn mostly by.