Where and when did wedding rings begin to be used. Wedding ring
About the exchange of rings for a wedding - ancient pagan tradition. What do the rings mean? Just look at them: round, closed ... endless. Name: the circle is a symbol of infinity and eternal love two people who tied their lives. noble metal - expensive thing and symbolizes the seriousness of intentions. But why the ring finger? The answer may surprise and touch those people who do not know anatomy very well - an artery goes from there, right to the heart. All this means...forever. Until death together. Keep this in mind when standing under the crown and the wedding arch.
traditions and history of wedding rings
The tradition of giving each other wedding rings is very ancient. Even the Egyptians, several thousand years ago, presented their halves with rings as a sign that neither gods nor people could destroy their love. And even in very prehistoric times, archaeologists find evidence that the brides of bygone eras wove reed rings for themselves.
But metal in wedding rings was first used in ancient Rome. And despite all the wealth and luxury in other everyday aspects, the rings were simple and smooth pieces of metal. But at the same time, such decoration was very expensive and meant exactly what it means now - the inviolability of marriage bonds.
But chic and luxury first struck in Italy in the late Middle Ages: there, wedding rings began to be decorated with real diamonds.
But it is already clear to everyone that throughout all historical epochs there have been cases when marriage was only a formality in order to obtain some benefit. But even in this case, for the engagement, betrothal and official marriage ceremony, rings were all exactly given (at every stage).
Until the end of the Middle Ages, in many nations throughout Europe, the wife had to, literally, be redeemed from her parents. That is, to give some material values for her, but putting on the ring was only a formal confirmation that the marriage took place.
Interestingly, the rings found by archaeologists throughout Europe are very interesting in terms of decoration, and this period of decoration begins after the thirteenth century. For example, the ring in Nuremberg, which is kept in the city museum. This chic piece of art is very simple, but on the inside is engraved with the words "Loyalty in me".
Over time, the technique of making wedding rings only became more and more complicated. Their form acquired more and more grace and now the variety of design solutions embodied in wedding rings pleases our eyes.
Traditionally, the groom buys the rings. But the bride can help him choose this ring. The most important parameters are two interconnected: material and price.
Let's take a closer look. A good tradition is gold rings (gold can be either white or yellow). But if the budget allows, you can think about buying a platinum ring. It's expensive, but that's why - a great demonstration of the seriousness of the groom's intentions.
History has not left us any strict prescriptions for what kind of engagement rings should be. Naturally, men prefer a stricter version, more classic solutions, but for women there are absolutely no barriers. These can be rings that consist of two metals, rings that are inlaid with precious or semiprecious stone, decorated with a diamond facet or generally diamond rings. The latter women prefer the most and not surprisingly, because faceted diamonds are the best of the stones that nature has created.
But it doesn’t matter if you don’t like them or if you can’t get them. You can choose exactly the stone that would suit you according to the horoscope the most.
Today, the jewelry industry, if we talk about wedding rings, is an incredible variety. Going into a jewelry store, you can see more than a hundred different types of rings.
IN Lately yellow smooth ones are rapidly going out of fashion wedding rings(such as the ring of omnipotence in the movie "The Lord of the Rings"). IN last years fashion trend considered thin and elegant rings, masterfully decorated with jewelry stones.
If you want something special and unusual - order yourself an individual ring. To do this, you need to contact the jeweler and provide him with a sketch. In this case, the name of the young man is usually written on the bride's ring and vice versa. But this is not a rule at all and it is not necessary to do this. It all depends on your imagination and desire to get a truly unique ring with which you will be a unique bride on your wedding day and the same unique wife all your life.
Ordering individual rings is very, very popular lately. But at the same time, like everything else, the rings must be made in a single concept, that is, two unique and chic rings, which are completely different at the same time - worse than two more modest ones, but made in the same style.
Signs associated with wedding rings
1. It is believed that wearing massive rings is in abundance.
2. If, God forbid, the ring is lost - this is the first call to divorce and separation.
3. If a wedding ring is touched at a wedding, then soon you will be walking at your own wedding.
4. To take the wedding rings of parents is to repeat the family path passed by them.
5. If the wedding ring fell out of the hands of the bride or groom, this is a betrayal.
In no case do not let us try on the wedding ring - it is believed that this will make both people unhappy (the one who gave it to try on and the one who measured it).
It is enough to look at the ring finger of the right hand, and you can accurately determine whether a person is single or married. The ring is a symbol of marriage. Where did the tradition of newlyweds to exchange wedding rings come from?
Wedding ring in ancient Egypt
In the deserts of North Africa and the story begins wedding ring where the ancient Egyptian civilization originated on the fertile floodplains of the Nile River.
Although the exact date of the origin of the wedding ring is unknown, historians primarily speak of ancient Egypt, where this tradition of wearing a wedding ring originated. Archaeological discoveries led them to this conclusion. And images on artefacts such as papyrus scrolls have revealed ancient tradition, exchange rings woven from cane and hemp.
The first wedding rings were made of sedge, reeds or reeds, often they looked more like bracelets. Such rings, of course, quickly disintegrated and were replaced with new ones, gradually using more durable materials: leather, animal bones, stone, wood. Then, with the development of metal processing, iron was used, and the noble and rich used gold.
During excavations in Egypt, archaeologists discovered unique wedding rings dating back to 4-5 thousand years BC,
with semi-precious and precious stones. Interestingly, however, wedding rings found in the Roman Empire dating back to 2000 BC look exactly like those found in ancient Egypt. In one of the graves, an Egyptian was found buried around 2800 BC: on the third finger of whose left hand was a wedding ring made of one silver and one gold wire. Archaeologists have also found references to wedding rings in ancient Egyptian manuscripts, where wedding rings were worn on the middle finger.
Ancient sculpture hands with wedding ring
The ancient Greek writer, bibliographer and philosopher Plutarch gives an interesting historical background, referring to the work of the Greek-Egyptian writer and grammarian Apion "Wonders of Egypt" and the five-volume history of Egypt (which has not survived to this day), about why it is customary to wear a wedding ring on the ring finger: "According to ancient tradition, the Egyptians wore a wedding ring on the finger of the left hand closest to the little finger. believed in the so-called "vein of love", which is located on the ring finger of the left hand and opens the way directly to the heart.
This tradition was later borrowed from the Egyptians by the ancient Greeks, and from them passed to the Romans, who already had a wedding ritual in their traditions, which was called “vena amoris”, which is translated from Latin as “vein of love”.
Wedding ring in ancient Rome
The ancient Romans borrowed the wedding band tradition from ancient Egypt, but with their own twist. At the beginning, the groom gave the wedding ring to the bride's parents as a sign that he could support the family, and if they accepted him, he would take her away with him. Unlike the Egyptians, who viewed wedding rings as a symbol of love, historians believe that the Romans viewed wedding rings as a symbol of possession. That is, the wife now belonged to her husband.
Wedding ring in the Far and Middle East
Assembled wedding ring puzzle
Men in the East have created a "puzzle ring".
These rings were folding and it was necessary to carry out several manipulations in order to remove it. If these manipulations were incorrect, then the ring fell apart. The secret of how to put on and take off a wedding ring was known only to the husband and the jeweler who made it. Such "puzzle rings" were used to keep the wife faithful, and if she cheated with a wedding ring on her hand, they killed both the wife and her lover.
Disassembled wedding ring puzzle
in Japan and Ancient China there was another tradition that is associated with the emperor's harem. On the finger of the geisha's left hand, the servant wore silver ring as she made her way to the emperor's bed. And leaving the emperor, if she performed her duties well, then the woman took off the ring from her left hand and put it on her right hand. In a metaphysical sense, the wedding ring in China and the Japanese Empire, as well as among other ancient peoples, corresponds to fire and the sun, and is a symbol of an endless cycle, a symbol of constancy.
Wedding ring in Judea
The ancient Jews, the inhabitants of Judea, according to one of the many legends, gave a coin instead of a wedding ring. By this they denoted the obligation of the groom to support his wife. Over time, the custom of giving coins turned into the custom of giving wedding rings, which is still alive today. This tradition, in this particular sense, was accepted by Christians as a gift, with the help of which the idea of fidelity of spouses to each other was transmitted, as a “ring of fidelity”.
In Italy, in the city of Perugia, an ancient relic is still kept - an engagement ring with amethyst, which, according to ancient legend, was presented by Joseph to the Virgin Mary during the betrothal. 
Wedding rings from the shackles of Catherine and Sergei Trubetskoy.
Regarding wearing a ring on one or another hand, representatives of different religions have their own opinion on this matter. Orthodox Christians and Eastern Europeans wear the wedding ring on right hand. The wedding ring is worn on the ring finger due to the fact that it least of all interferes with work. The fact that the ring is worn on the right hand is a symbolic expression of the veneration of marriage.
The Jews wear it on the left hand, despite the fact that during the marriage ceremony the ring is worn on the right hand. In Holland, Catholics wear a ring on their left hand, all others on their right; in Austria, Catholics wear a ring on their right hand. In Belgium, hand selection varies by region. Greeks, many of whom are Orthodox, wear the wedding ring on their right hand, in accordance with Greek tradition. The reason for this lies in the custom of the Romans to wear a wedding ring on the right hand, because in Latin the word for "left" will be "sinister", which in English language means "evil, ominous". In Latin, “right” will be “dexter”, from which the word “dexterity” comes from in English, which means “agility, dexterity, skill”. Hence, left hand associated with negative feelings, and the right one with positive ones.
There were exceptions to these rules. For example, in England during the reign of King George I, wedding rings were worn on thumb. The same was done in India. True, the newlyweds there did not wear wedding rings for long at all - after a while they were transported for some kind of bracelet.
In medieval Europe, wedding rings "roamed" literally on all fingers of both hands, having been on the index finger, and even on the little finger.
In Russia, only under Catherine the Great, in 1755, the Holy Synod combined the rite of exchange of rings - betrothal with a wedding.
Unusual wedding rings 
It was originally customary for the bride to give a coin as a sign that future husband takes care of its finances. Then, instead of a coin, the bride was given a ring.
Gold wedding bands first appeared among the Egyptians. They put them on the ring finger of the hand, as they believed that the "artery of love" runs from it straight to the heart.
The ancient Romans gave their future wives rings shaped like a key as a sign that a woman is ready to share all duties with her husband and become equal partner in home management.
Wedding ring as part of the wedding ceremony
Initially, the betrothal ceremony was much more important than the wedding itself. Only in the 9th century, thanks to Pope Nicholas, did the exchange of rings become part of the wedding ceremony. At the same time, the ring began to be considered a symbol of love and fidelity.Interestingly, both rings were not always supposed to be gold. In the 15th century, they put on the groom's finger iron ring, symbolizing his strength, and the bride - as a sign of tenderness and purity - gold. Later, a custom appeared, according to which the groom wore Golden ring and the bride - silver.
According to tradition, buying rings is considered the responsibility of the groom. From the point of view of the Christian church, wedding rings should be simple, without any decorations. But at present, this principle is no longer as strict as it used to be, and, if desired, future spouses can choose rings adorned with precious stones for themselves.
It is believed that after the wedding, wedding rings should be worn without taking them off, as they have a direct impact on the fate of the couple. The loss or breakage of the ring is perceived as a bad omen, foreshadowing the imminent breakup of the marriage.
The exchange of wedding rings is an ancient and beautiful custom that has survived to this day. But the main thing in the life of spouses is not the ring itself, but genuine feelings: love, fidelity and mutual understanding.
These days, wedding rings mean more than just decoration to us. Wedding rings are a kind of embodiment of our family fetters. The history of wedding rings is not known to anyone for certain, hence the many theories and legends of their origin. But in all legends and stories, one thing is invariable - the wedding ring is a symbol! A symbol of love, family, fidelity! Consider some of the most popular legends about the origin and nature of the engagement ring.
Legend of the endless circle
The round shape of the ring, solid and inseparable, means a vicious circle of marriage bonds. A circle is always something solid. A circle, by definition, has no beginning or end. So it is in the family - since all marriages have long been made in heaven, they also have no beginning and, more importantly, no end. For this reason, our ancestors decided that the circle is an ideal symbolic designation. In addition, the circle has always been endowed with considerable mystical properties. With the help of a closed round line, shamans protected themselves from evil spirits during meditation. What is the image worth mythical dragon Ouroboros, clinging to his own tail and symbolizing eternity and invincibility with his strength. Another theory of the magic circle of a wedding ring is that two souls, like two halves of a wedding ring, grow together into a single inseparable circle.
Saving bonds of the wedding ring
Many centuries ago, people's lives were much shorter than they are now, and people were looking for all sorts of ways to protect themselves and their loved ones from misfortune. Many believed that the soul of a person could simply flow out of a person, like water, and then the person would die. To prevent this from happening, people bandaged their legs and arms with linen cords and woven herbs. When a girl got married, her husband, in order to protect his chosen one, wrapped her legs and hands with wedding rings. Of course, these wedding rings were little like modern ones, rather they were more correctly called bracelets. Over the years, these wedding rings have been transformed and eventually acquired the look we are used to.
Wedding ring - a direct way to the heart of loved ones
Ancient people believed in the so-called "Love Vein", which is located in the ring finger of the left hand and opens the way directly to the heart. And so the custom appeared to wear wedding rings on the ring finger of the left hand (in Russia, however, the opposite is true). Skeptics have long refuted this theory, but in vain - it is so touching and romantic to imagine that an engagement ring is a voluntary lock on the door leading directly to our heart.
Wedding ring - the hallmark of property
Archaeological excavations have shown that wedding rings found their place in ancient Rome. They were worn mostly by women, and they had very little in common with refined romantic feelings. Rather, it was a "tag" that men hung on their wives in order to indicate the woman's belonging to a particular man and warn other men against any signs of attention in her direction. On such wedding rings there were carved designations of the "owner" of the woman. The ring was put on the woman's hand and flattened with a vise so that the woman could not remove it from her finger on her own. But do not think that women suffered from this - on the contrary, they were happy to wear such rings, because for them it was a kind of safety sign from rogues and tipsy soldiers who, looking at the ring, understood that attention to this woman might be too expensive for them. cost.
Oriental wedding rings
The idea of the Romans was to the taste of Eastern men and they went even further! They did not shackle and squeeze the wedding ring on the girl's finger, but made special sophisticated rings with the most complicated secret mechanism. The ring snapped on the finger, and in order to remove it, it was necessary to make a dozen certain movements, after which the ring was opened and removed from the finger. If at least one movement was wrong, the ring crumbled and could no longer be restored. Terrible anger and suspicion of treason was caused by the woman whose ring her husband found broken.
Was there a thimble?
But not always everything was so unambiguous around wedding rings. There were times when people did not perceive wedding rings at all, considering it a complete stupidity and a useless burden. In some countries, it was even customary to give brass knuckles to a man instead of a wedding ring, and a thimble to a woman, arguing that this would somehow come in handy in everyday life. But, as we can see, such extravagant wedding rings have not been used in our time.
Evolution
Over the years, life, customs, the well-being of nations have changed - the attitude towards wedding rings has also changed. Today, we perceive wedding rings not as something magical or ritual, but as quite a worthy decoration, stylized as fictitious traditions. different countries. There were times when wedding rings made of leather, wood, stone were in use. Now, as materials for wedding rings, mainly precious metals are used. An important fact has always been considered that investing in precious metals is one of the most reliable ways to invest. And investments in wedding rings from precious metals- this is the first contribution to the gold reserves of a young family.
Men wearing wedding rings
For a long time, men did not wear wedding rings - this was an exclusively female prerogative. The very concept of "wedding ring" for men is a trend exclusively of the 20th century. During the First World War, men came up with the idea of putting on wedding rings, which could remind them of warm weather at any moment. family hearth, loving wife, children, about the place where he is expected and loved. The idea proved so successful that after the war ended, men continued to wear their wedding rings with pride in their beloved family. And to this day, men do not neglect this wonderful tradition and are happy to wear their wedding rings on an equal basis with women every day.
How to wear a wedding ring? It, according to established traditions, is worn by the newlyweds at the wedding. It symbolizes love and fidelity. Contemporaries got used to the custom of exchanging wedding rings, and it seems to us that this has always been the case.
However, this is not entirely true, and historical facts tell about the amazing traditions of past centuries, and fashion trends manicure 2017 can be read in.
Wedding ring - historical perspective
Scholars of the ancient world disagreed about the origin of such a tradition. Some say that this happened in ancient Egypt, while others argue that it was in ancient Greece.
Since these states are close to each other, then maybe some mixed marriage and served as the beginning of the exchange of decorations for those who decided to start a family. An interesting fact is that wedding symbols then weaving from reeds.
It was these woven rings that were a wonderful prototype of modern wedding jewelry. And after some time in ancient Rome, rich suitors presented it not only to the bride, but also to her parents.
This gift symbolized the desire of the man to take responsibility for the maintenance of the girl.
Since then, more than one century has passed, and such a tradition, like brides, has appeared among many peoples. However, depending on religion and national preferences, not everyone wears wedding rings on one hand.
Moreover, there were times when the rulers determined how to wear a wedding ring. Historians confirm that there were quite a lot of such legislative acts, so there were at least ten ways to wear them - according to the number of fingers.
Traditions of different nations
Exist different traditions how to wear a wedding ring. According to researchers, in ancient times, more people still wore wedding jewelry on the middle finger of their left hand. The reason for this was the opinion of the healers of those times. They assured that there is a certain nerve in the human body that connects this finger to the heart.
This tradition still exists among many peoples. However, in those countries where the main religion is Orthodoxy, it is worn on the right hand. If trouble happens in the family and one of the spouses dies, then the widower or widow puts a ring on his left hand.
Muslims wear a wedding ring only to a woman, because it is not customary for men to wear such jewelry. And the gypsies wear jewelry on a gold chain, dressed around their necks.
How to wear a wedding ring
Today, the exchange of rings during the marriage registration ceremony is part of the entire wedding ceremony. For many years, when newlyweds present rings, words are said that they have neither beginning nor end, implying the eternity of love. And gold, which has long been traditionally used to make wedding decoration symbolizes purity and innocence. ABOUT wedding dresses read
Thus, putting a ring on the ring finger, the newlyweds promise each other long love, devotion, mutual respect and longsuffering. Without all this, the family is not able to exist for a long time.
Jewelry designers began to offer new models of wedding jewelry. Some newlyweds still choose classic, completely smooth ones, while others prefer rings interspersed with precious stones.
You can also buy a wedding ring not only from gold, but also from silver, palladium and titanium. There are even ceramics and plastic products on the market, but this option is usually preferred by young people with an unusual outlook on life.
superstition
The ceremony of exchanging a wedding symbol when creating a family for many hundreds of years has been “overgrown” with signs, superstitions, and secret omens.
- It is not customary to give it as a gift, pass it on to someone, or even just allow it to be tried on. But there are many situations in life, that sometimes you have to do something that, according to signs, seems to be not supposed to.
In the event that you need to transfer your jewelry to someone, you need to put it on a table or some other surface. When returning, ask the person not to hand over, but put it on the table again. It is also recommended to wash the ring in running water to wash away other people's energy from it.
- A good omen is considered to be the inheritance of wedding jewelry through the generations: from grandmother to granddaughter. A particularly favorable sign in this situation will be if the grandmother was happy in marriage.
- How to wear a wedding ring left over from relatives who have died? Doing this is not considered a bad omen.
- In ancient times, a ritual was performed with them, which supposedly strengthened the relationship of the spouses. Two rings were immersed in a small vessel with water and briefly frozen. People believed that in this case they became one, and in the future they will always be attracted to each other.
- It was believed that if a girl touches a box with rings for the bride and groom, then marriage will soon await her.
Everyone decides for himself whether to believe in omens or not and how to wear a wedding ring, but there is one good sign that you need to create a family out of love with mutual respect: very beautiful children will certainly be born in such a marriage. And the decoration will be a reminder of a beautiful wedding day!
