(Week 9) Wedding Rings

As I thought about a topic I wanted to research, I happen to be playing with a ring I always where on the middle finger of my left hand (yes, my CTR ring) and I decided I would research the adoption of ring wearing… more specifically, the origin of the wedding ring. We all understand that the wearing of a wedding ring is symbolic of commitment between two people. But have you ever wondered how it was that such a symbolic tradition came about? I did some research on the subject and came to a better understanding of this very topic.

For centuries, people of all nations have seen the wedding ring as a pledge of love and stands as an emblem of steadfast devotion and eternity. This idea comes from the circular shape that rings take. The ancient Egyptians established the tradition of putting a ring on his wife’s finger. The implementation of the ring was a sign that a man trusted his wife to care for his home. At this same point in time, the Roman and the Greek grooms would give rings to the fathers of their brides as a symbol of the purchase made for the woman. As Roman culture progressed, Roman brides were given gold rings, only to be worn in public. They were not allowed to wear their rings in the house because while in the home they were expected to tend to ‘womanly duties’ (cooking, cleaning etc.) which were inappropriate times to wear such a special and sacred symbol. As these traditions spread by word of mouth from nation to nation, such customs were adopted in one for or another by many who felt the ring was a respected symbol of devotion. It was in 860 that the Christians implemented the ring into matrimony. When the Christians first began using the ring as a symbol of marriage, the rings they used had engravings such as doves, lyres, or two linked hands to exemplify the bond made by such a physical and spiritual bond. These specially engraved rings however, were property of the church and used only for the ceremony, after which the ring was returned to the church and used again in another marriage ceremony. Through time we have adopted a more permanent application of the ring.

It is unsure how it became custom to place the wedding ring on the third finger of the left hand but it is an ancient belief that it originated from the idea that a specific vein or nerve ran from that particular finger strait to the heart. Another myth is that during the ancient wedding ceremonies, the priest would touch the three fingers on the left hand in completion of the ceremony and say after touching each of them “in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost” and the ring was placed on the last finger touched- what is known today as the wedding finger. No matter how such a tradition came about, it is one that has survived, I can imagine, since before our records can even allude to.

Fascinating isn’t it, the history of such a common tradition we all are so accustomed to today?

Shank, A.M. "Marriage and the Wedding Ring." Bible Views. Rod and Staff Publishers, Inc., 08/10/2008. Web. 27 Feb 2011. <http://www.bibleviews.com/wr.html>.