November blog challenge day 3 - A little history lesson about Wedding Rings...

This a short blog today as I’m writing as quick as I can so that the yummy home made pizza that’s currently cooking in the oven doesn’t burn!

According to several different sources, including an excellent wikipedia article, the first wedding rings are thought to have been found in Ancient Egypt around 6000 years ago, but they were made from hemp or reeds rather than metal. The circle symbolised “eternity” and so the ring was intended to represent a couple's never ending love for each other. This is also where the tradition of wearing the ring on the left hand began as the Egyptians believed that a special vein ran from the fourth finger of the left hand straight to the heart. This is known as “Vena amoris”, or “vein of love”.

The first “western” wedding rings can be traced back to Ancient Rome and Greece. They were associated with a “dowry” so this is likely to be when having them made in precious metal first began. Traditions obviously change over the years and you may be surprised to hear that it wasn't until the 20th century that both men and women started to wear a ring. Personally, I don’t think this is just coincidence that it was around the same time as the suffragette movement and women beginning to realise that there really was quite a lot more to life than just being a man’s possession!