The History of Engagement Rings and Wedding Bands

These days, many people take wedding bandsinteresting history, some of which is explored
and engagement rings for granted, and althoughbelow. Engagement rings have been known by
they give these beautiful items of jewellery withmany different names, have symbolised a variety
integrity and love, they are often given with noof different things and have not always been
real knowledge of the meaning behind them.Bothmade of precious metals and stunning
wedding bands and engagement rings are verygems!GREEKSThe ancient Greeks are thought to
special items of jewellery; in fact, they are morehave been the forerunners in the rising of the
than just jewellery - they are the symbols oftraditional engagement ring. Given as a token of
many emotions and promises suchcare and affection, the rings used by the Greeks
as:LoveCommitmentFidelityEternityHonourwere known as betrothal rings and were given
But where - and why - did these popular andbefore marriage. However, the giving of these
sentimental pieces of jewellery stem from?Therings was not always a pre-requisite to marriage
History Of Wedding BandsThese items ofand was often given in the same way as a
jewellery have a history that spans manyfriendship ring might be given today.ROMANSAs
centuries and passes through many countriesseen by their use of the wedding ring, ancient
from all around the planet. Below, you will find aRomans weren't the most sentimental of people,
brief history of the wedding and engagement ring,and the early version of their "engagement ring"
as reported from country towere thought to have carved keys on them. It
country.EGYPTIANSThe now-famous weddinghas been debated that this could have been to
band is thought to have originated in Ancientsymbolise the woman's right to access and own
Egypt, where it is said that plant sections werehalf of everything following marriage. However,
fashioned in to circles to signify never-ending andthe more sentimental like to think that the key
immortal love. It was thought that the fourthmay have been a key to her husband's
finger (which we now know as the ring finger)heart.ROYALTY AND THE AFFLUENTEngagement
contained a special vein that was connectedrings as we know them today - stunning gems
directly to the heart, and therefore this becameencased in precious metals - became popular in
the official finger for the weddingaround the fourteenth or fifteenth century, when
band.ROMANSThe Romans also agreed with thethe affluent and the royals began to exchange
Egyptians with regards to the wedding ring fingerand wear these jewels. However, these items
and its meaning, but rather than offering weddingwere so expensive that nobody other than the
bands as a symbol of love, they awarded themroyals and the rich could afford to exchange
as a symbol of ownership. Roman men wouldthem. It was to be many centuries before these
"claim" their woman with the giving of aengagement rings would become more popular or
ring.ASIANS / ARABSPuzzle rings were atraditional.Why a ring?The purpose of engagement
complex type of jewellery that were oncerings and wedding bands is to convey deep
popular in Asia, and these jewels had theemotions of eternal love, eternal happiness,
charming knack of being able to fall apart and puteternal commitment, and eternal togetherness. In
back together again - if you knew how to do this,fact, these rings signify eternity - between the
of course. Wealthy Middle Eastern men thengiver and the recipient. A ring, of course, is a
began to use these rings as wedding bands forcomplete circle with no break and no end or
their wives, who were often forced to wear abeginning, which means that it just goes on and
puzzle ring when their husband was away. Theon - it is eternal.And, since folklore has it that the
husband would know upon his return whether anyfourth finger of the left hand has a vein leading
of his wives had been disloyal by removing thedirectly to the heart, it is only natural that both
ring whilst he was away, because the ring wasengagement and wedding rings would be worn on
designed to collapse upon removal and could onlythis particular finger, which was once reputed to
be put together again if you had the skill andbe a direct route to the heart.SummaryIn short, it
knowledge required.EUROPEANSSeveral centuriesis clear that the giving of a ring in honour of a
ago, the Europeans became rather taken withunion, betrothal, and marriage has been going on
what we would class as an engagement ring, butsince ancient times, and although it may not
was then called a Poesy Ring. This ring was givenalways have been as glamorous and romantic as
to a loved one as a form of promise, and signifiedit is today, it was still a way of exchanging a
fidelity and love. The Poesy Ring was offered ascontract of betrothal or marriage.Thankfully,
a pledge of eternal togetherness, much as today'stoday's wedding bands and engagement rings are
engagement rings are offered as a promise ofnot made of hair, grass, plants or twine as they
eternal marriage.AMERICANSDuring Colonial times,may have been in ancient times, but of beautiful
all items of jewellery in America were prohibitedmetals set with stunning gems, such as platinum,
due to their apparent moral worthlessness.titanium, white gold, gold, sapphires, diamonds,
Instead, a more practical thimble was given as arubies and emeralds. These incredible items of
token of love and as a pledge of eternaljewellery are likely to remain as popular as ever
togetherness. However, after they were married,as the centuries go by, and even as the rest of
the women tended to remove the bottom ofthe world advances in to a futuristic and
their "engagement thimble" to form a type oftechnological age, it's hard to imagine a day where
ring.History Of Engagement RingsThe engagementa beautiful diamond engagement ring doesn't melt
ring of today also has its own varied andthe heart of its recipient.