In modern culture, we have grown used to the idea that when a man asks for a woman’s hand in marriage, he presents her with an engagement ring. Let’s look at how rings became associated with an everlasting bond between romantic partners.
Development in Ancient Egypt
In about 3000 BC, a Pharaoh in Egypt bestowed a ring on the woman he wanted to take as his wife. He used a ring because in Egyptian culture at the time, the circle served as an emblem for timelessness (since it does not contain a startpoint or endpoint).
The first rings that were created were not made of durable materials: they were crafted out of braided grass, reeds, or hemp. Some historians believe that the man and woman may have been connected together, in some cases, with a rope made of the same material.
Eventually stronger materials – such as animal hides, bones, and elephant tusks – were used so that the rings would not break down as easily, better symbolizing an everlasting commitment.
Adoption by the Romans
The first use of engagement rings on the European continent was in the Roman Empire. If it’s true that Egyptians used the rings as a form of bondage, the Roman practice was similarly unromantic. The ring served essentially as proof that a man “owned” a woman, almost like a car title! These rings were initially made of iron.
The brilliance of silver and gold, and the lower propensity of those metals toward corrosion, eventually made them a more popular choice for engagement rings. The higher priced precious metals also suggested, symbolically, that the man was comfortable with giving his chosen mate access to all his prized possessions.
Celtic rings & puzzle rings
The rings that were initially used in Celtic culture were, like those of the Egyptians, humble in construction. The two loved ones would braid their hair together into a ring that was then worn by the woman.
Puzzle rings or gimmels started to appear in the 1400s. These rings were complicated, as their name suggests. There were typically composed of two or three rings that could be moved into position to create a unified image, such as hands clasped over a heart.
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By Kent Roberts