The wedding ring was – long ago – a form of purchase so that the husband could tell all around him that the woman was his.
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I was talking to a group recently when the subject of weddings came up.
Author and etymologist Rudolph Brasch said that in the olden days men would bind the ankles and wrists of the woman who became his property and servant.
He said the wedding ring developed from the engagement ring.
The choice of hand retained the assumption that the woman was the husband’s slave.
The right hand always stood for the power and authority and the left hand expressed submission.
But other theories were in circulation.
For instance, before medical science discovered how the circulatory system functioned, people believed that a vein ran directly from the fourth finger on the left hand to the heart.
Because of the hand–heart connection, they chose the descriptive name vena amoris, Latin for the vein of love, for this particular vein.
Once you're married, tradition dictates that your engagement band be moved back to the third finger on your left hand. When you do so, your wedding ring should remain closest to your heart, (where your spouse placed it on your wedding day) and your engagement ring is placed next to the wedding ring.
Historians primarily believe ancient Egypt started the tradition most like our modern wearing of a wedding band.
Archeological discoveries, some dating back more than 3000 years ago, led them to this conclusion. Imagery on artifacts, such as papyrus scrolls, reveal an ancient culture that exchanged rings braided from reeds and hemp.
This society viewed the circle as a symbol of endless love between a man and woman. Additionally, Egyptians wore wedding bands on the ring finger of their left hands.