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Fingers in
Pagan history
Rings
in Christian history
Jewelry information
Wedding ring sites
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Wedding ring and jewelry information
In early Rome it was iron that was adopted as the metal of choice
rather than copper or brass as mostly elsewhere. This symbolized the
strength of love a man felt for his chosen woman, though rust was a
problem.
The act of giving and acceptance of the ring was now also considered
to be legally binding and therefore enforceable. This tied the woman
as the property of the man to some views but in truth also protected
her rights as bride-to-be, and was summoned upon to prevent her from
having her primary position usurped by rivals.
Gold or silver rings were given on occasions, to show all the
bridegroom trusted his betrothed with his valuable property, and to
symbolize this further, the ring was sometimes shaped as a key
rather than a normal circular band. This was not presented at the
wedding ceremony as the custom nowadays, but when he carried her in
his arms across the threshold of her new home.
After coinage gold was rapidly promoted to first choice and in later
in medieval Europe gemstones were again a common addition. With
rubies chosen for their color of red like a heart, sapphires, blue
like the sky above, or most valued and sought after of all; the
indestructible diamond
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