The Ancient Egyptians
Obviously the exact beginning of the
use of the wedding ring is unknown, many historians believe that the wedding
ring tradition originated in Ancient Egypt. There have been archeological discoveries,
some dating back well over 3,000 years ago, leading to this hypothesis.
Drawings on artifacts, such as
papyrus scrolls, demonstrate a culture in which the marital couple exchanged
rings made from hemp and reeds. The associated hieroglyphics explained how the
Ancient Egyptian society acknowledged the ring, the circle, as a symbol of
unending love between the bride and groom.
The Egyptians also wore their wedding
rings on what we now call the “ring finger”, on the left hand. They believed that
this finger contained a special vein, which was directly connected to the heart.
The belief was embraced by other cultures, and many centuries later, it was
known by the Latin term “vena amoris” or the “vein of love”.
The Ancient Romans
In Ancient Rome, marriages were recognised in different forms,
and these marriages were categorised by the specific social class. They were Usus, Coemptio,
and Confarreatio.
Usus was the informal marriage, reserved for the lowest
class. It could be compared to today's defacto relationships.
Coemptio was the marriage that required that the bride be
purchased from her family. Historians believe this “purchase” was symbolic (not
really bought) but that the fathers were
paid for the marriage of their daughters.
Confarreatio was reserved only for the elite class, and this was the only true legal form of marriage in Ancient Roman times. The groom, giving a wedding ring to the bride, confirmed this marriage. The majority of these wedding rings were made of iron, which then led to the lovely tradition of modern metal wedding rings. However, unlike the Egyptians' rings as symbols of unending love, historians have determined that the Romans viewed these wedding rings as symbols of ownership, in that the wife now belonged to the husband.
Source: http://www.jtv.com/library/wedding-ring-history.html
Confarreatio was reserved only for the elite class, and this was the only true legal form of marriage in Ancient Roman times. The groom, giving a wedding ring to the bride, confirmed this marriage. The majority of these wedding rings were made of iron, which then led to the lovely tradition of modern metal wedding rings. However, unlike the Egyptians' rings as symbols of unending love, historians have determined that the Romans viewed these wedding rings as symbols of ownership, in that the wife now belonged to the husband.
Source: http://www.jtv.com/library/wedding-ring-history.html
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