Wedding bands have rather a long and interesting history that is believed to date back to ancient Egypt. Although they have always been given as symbols of love and commitment, they haven’t always been the sparkling items of jewelery we are familiar with today. They were originally made from rushes, reeds and sedges, which were then braided into rings and bracelets. The Egyptians believed that the circular shape of the ring displayed the symbol of eternity, as it had no beginning and no end. The hole in the middle of the ring was supposed to represent a doorway leading from the present to the future. Unfortunately this type of ring was not strong and versatile, and would generally wear out within a year rather than lasting for an eternity.
As time went on other materials were used to make rings, such as ivory, bone and leather. In early Rome iron was used to make rings, but they were prone to rust and soon eroded. Eventually other more practical and long lasting metals were used, such as steel, copper, brass, silver and gold. There were also many superstitions attached to the wedding band, and in Irish folklore it was believed to be bad luck to use a ring for marriage that was not made from gold. Other superstitions included the importance of wearing a well fitting ring and keeping the ring on the finger at all times. It was thought that if these rules were broken, the couple would experience an unhappy marriage. On a more positive note, it was considered to be a good omen if the ring was dropped during the ceremony, as this was supposed to remove all evil spirits from the ring and guarantee a happy marriage.
Apart from the basic ring designs, there were other more unusual designs to choose from, such as:
•Puzzle rings these consisted of two or more interlocking rings.
•Poesy rings these were a simple band of gold with a poem or other brief sentiment engraved around the outside.
•Claddagh rings these came from Ireland and were made in the design of two hands holding a crowned heart. These rings are still popular today as engagement rings, wedding rings and tokens of friendship.
The wedding band is generally worn on the fourth finger of the left hand, as it has always been the belief that the vein of that finger is closely linked to the heart – although in some parts of Europe the ring is actually worn on the right hand. At one time is was only the bride who wore a ring, as men did not wear wedding bands at all until 1940. The popularity of wedding bands for men began to spread around the time of the Second World War, and now it is common practice for the bride and groom to wear matching wedding bands.
Wedding bands will always be a special part of any wedding ceremony, and are perhaps given in a more romantic and special manner today than they were many years ago. With so many designs to choose from, it is hard to believe that these gifts of eternal love began as rings of woven plants.
Author Resource:
Samer Mneimneh is Founder of http://Dazycats.com , http://www.dazycats.com a jewelry company specializing in celebrity designed fashion jewelry. The collection produced by the famed jeweler Pascal Mouawad, includes Heidi Klum Jewelry, Nicole Richie Jewelry and Jermaine Dupri Nu Pop Movement watches.
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