Symbolism of Rings in Marriage
The tradition of a man and woman binding their marriage through wedding bands upon the completion of vows by placing a ring on the left finger is rich in symbolism dating back to ancient times.
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Unity
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According to Atlantis Ring, the symbolism of wedding rings began with the ancient Egyptians, who braided papyrus into jewelry, believing that a circle represented timelessness, with rings binding two people in eternal love and life.
Infinite Wisdom
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Rings consisted of leather, ivory and metal to withstand time. The hole in the middle of the ring symbolized the open-endedness of life and the afterlife, representing the known and unknowns, as noted by Million Looks.
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Love
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According to Atlantis Ring, placing the ring on the third finger of the left hand stems from the ancient Egyptian and Roman belief that the vein of this finger travels to the heart, referred as "vena amoris," meaning vein of love.
Fidelity
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The Romans began wearing wedding rings in iron to symbolize the strength of a man's love and later in gold or silver to show that the man trusted his wife with his valuables.
Legality
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The Romans exchanged rings when the man carried his bride across the threshold. The ring became a sign of a legally binding agreement between husband and wife.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Jeff Belmonte
