WEDDING RING LORE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 19999, 5 January 1935, Page 14

WEDDING RING LORE

ancient customs The plain gold wedding ring of today, which is accepted as a matter of course as part of the paraphernalia of wedding ceremonies, has quite an interesting history. Although finger rings of great beauty and variety were used in the Biblical days by persons of rank, they were mainly to denote authority. Betrothal rings date back to the second century, when Romans used plain iron. Later they were substituted by gold ones, to be worn in public, the iron ones being relegated to wear in the home only. The usual betrothal ring was subsequently altered by the addition of a signet set in it to signify that the spouse was to have the right of sealing up the household goods. Nor yet were iron or gold the only materials used for wedding rings. There is one instance on record of a piece of kid, cut from the bride’s glove being used on the spur of the moment, while as a substitute a church key has also been put into requisition. Horace Walpole tells of a case where the participants in a marriage ceremony at 12.30 a.m. one night were forced, to use a bed-curtain ring. The ancient ritual which accompanied the marriage ceremony is also rather interesting. The ring was placed by the husband on top of the thumb of the left hand, he saying, "In the name of the Father.” It was then removed to the forefinger, where he said, "and of the Son.” Thence to the middle finger with “and of the Holy Ghost,” *the “Amen” leaving it on the fourth finger. The figurative virtues attributed to rings seem slightly amusing to us now. The gold was to signify all that was noble and durable in affection; the roundness in form implied respect without end; it was placed on the fourth finger because the Ancients