This piece of jewelry has been used since ancient times, it is a piece with an important meaning on an emotional level, as it symbolizes commitment. With the passage of time this conception has been changing, to give rise to a more versatile meaning such as power, fashion, professionalism, protection, superstition and many other meanings.. This emblematic piece that in principle was only associated with marriage is the ring and today you will learn more about its origin and evolution.
The first thing is to know the concept, according to the portal Definicion.de indicates: “from the Latin “anĕllus”, a ring is a ring of reduced dimensions that is worn, for aesthetic or symbolic purposes, on a finger of the hand. Among the rings that are used to reflect a status or condition, are the married (or wedding) ring and the engagement ring.
The first appearance of this object in the history of man occurs around the year 2800 BC. c. The Egyptians placed a ring in prenuptial ceremonies as a symbol of commitment; the circle, lacking a beginning and an end, alluded to eternity. It is even said that the gods wore a ring; the golden circle supposed a pact that nobody could break.
For this civilization, the circle symbolized the mystery and eternity of life. According to archaeological findings, there is evidence of a papyrus in which it could be read: The ring, is it possible to know where its beginning and its end are? It is actually an interesting analysis, since even today it is difficult to say where this piece of jewelry begins and ends.
Likewise, the common class of that civilization used a copper ring with a beetle, which was considered a sacred animal, made of soapstone, which is a type of metamorphic rock; An inscription was made on it with the owner’s data, which according to belief worked as a magic formula to attract good luck. Therefore, it was considered a protective ring, even when dying they were buried with it; somehow it referred to a memory of earthly life and a way to maintain awareness of it.
For the time of the Romans, When the wedding was celebrated, the groom gave the bride a double ring as a sign of alliance.. Said alliance in those times (of Ovid), was used, by women, despite being married, to please whoever hinted at it, for which it was only necessary to change the ring to another finger, interesting and curious , No?
It is also said that there were «magical» rings, such as King Solomon’s, he himself had a recorded phrase internally that said: «this too shall pass». Legend has it that the use of this jewel could make the wearer happy when he was sad; in fact it is believed that Solomon owed his wisdom to him.
Now, it is worth remembering that in the vast majority of civilizations, many jewels, including rings, were a luxury that could only be afforded for the most favored or wealthy classes, and this was determined by the material of the same. For example, the iron ring was a symbol of aristocratic prestige; the golden one was that of the priests of Jupiter and the senators. A short time later, he acquired a sense of a talisman.
According to the findings of the city of Pompeii (the archaeological ruins), from the 1st century, rings were found that pointed to marriage. As for the designs, one of the most popular in Rome was that of two intertwined hands forming a circle.; others included images like keys, which indicated that whoever wore the ring owned the heart of the one in love with her and half of her fortune.
On the other hand, with the appearance of the civilization of the Greeks, the ring began to be worn on the ring finger, as there was a belief that the vein of the heart (vena amoris) and therefore of love ended there. Thus it was hinted that the heart intervened in marriage.
However, the rings were of a very simple design, like a gold fringe around the finger. But around the 4th century BC, the custom arose of fitting a precious stone such as carnelian, amethyst or the bright red almandine stone; this with the intention of monopolizing the gaze of the sorcerers. These rings were also made of gold and internally an inscription was made with phrases such as: «Do not love another» or «I will be faithful to you».
On a religious level, Clement Alexandria, who was the founding father of the Greek church, advised parishioners to engrave the rings with symbols alluding to Christianity such as: fish, doves, anchors, among others; however, they were quite expensive, which is why many people became financially ruined after celebrating a wedding, due to the cost of the rings.
Subsequently, This piece acquired a liturgical character within the church, so the highest authority figures of this institution such as priests, nuns, archbishops and even the Pope used it.. One of the rings was the pastoral, but the Pope’s was called the fisherman’s ring, it was a unique ring, so it was destroyed at the death of each Pope.
However, the tradition of the engagement ring, appears in the year 860. Nicholas I, who was considered the supreme pontiff, decreed that it was necessary to deliver a ring with the marriage request as a symbol of commitment; additionally the ring had to be gold.
In this way, this alliance became a symbol of conjugal fidelity and of fulfilling the commitment acquired. For this reason, he was sorry if it was broken, since both love and the ring were part of the union.
Over time, the ring acquired different meanings and each culture gave it its own interpretation. The Jews, for example, placed the wedding ring on the index finger; the Indians instead did it on the thumb. In Europe there was a custom of placing the ring on the finger next to the little finger. It is even said that this is the reason why this finger is called «ring».
As time has passed, this piece has evolved, which is why there are currently different types of rings. However, it is necessary to clarify that there are different types of rings and different types of settings. The settings are the gem or gems that can carry the ring and the type of ring refers to the meaning or what it represents itself.
One of the most famous rings are the solitaires, this model is the one that has a gem located in the center or it can be plain; this is one of the most classic for the marriage proposal or engagement ring. As for the materials, the most frequent is white gold, platinum or silver, above yellow gold.
Second, it is found the wedding ring, also known as alliance; they are generally smooth and do not carry any gems. Internally it bears an inscription with the names of the couple and the date of the marriage. As mentioned, it is worn on the ring finger of the left hand and is worn below the engagement ring.
Next, it is found the eternity ring or «eternity» in English, it is a band model that has rhinestones in the form of a row, mostly diamonds. It is said that traditionally It is a ring that a man gives to his wife when they celebrate 10 years of marriage or with the birth of a child, since it represents infinite love..
There is also the so-called purity ringit is a hoop that decides to wear it that woman who has decided to be a virgin until marriageas a symbol of faith and waiting for the love of his life.
Another type of ring that is widely used is graduation. It is used because it represents the achievement achieved. It is designed with the insignia of the university where it has graduated and in the center of it it has a colored gem, depending on the school and career from which it receives the title; for example, medicine is yellow, administration is red wine, humanities gray, and so on, among others. It is usually worn on the ring finger of the right hand..
The halo ring is a ring that has a precious stone in the center and other smaller ones around it in the shape of a halo., hence its name. another ring is the Trinity, it has three bands made of white, pink and yellow gold. Each of them has a meaning, love, fidelity and friendship. The original design for this piece is said to have been created by Cartier in the 1920s and has been replicated ever since.
A ring with a very romantic design is the name: «Toi et Moi» in Spanish you and me. This ring has two similar gems located next to each other, representing the couple, as two different people who in turn complement each other. one of the models recent and very fashionable are the Midi or knuckle rings, these have a smaller diameter than normal and are used in the first or second joint of the finger; several can be used on the hand, on different fingers; They are always made of metal, they usually do not have gems and they are adjustable, so they are not completely closed.
Finally, much has been woven over time about the ring, each culture has contributed its grain of sand to make it its own, regardless of the material, design, type or model, the reason why it is used or Give it as a gift, it is a jewel that does not go out of style and that will always symbolize the commitment to something or someone.