The History of Engagement Rings And Bridal Sets
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010The initial origins of engagement rings and bridal sets are the same. The earliest uses of symbolic rings are attributed to different peoples, including the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. Betrothal rings were meant to symbolize a woman’s connection to the man who would become her husband, though the arrangement was more of a business proposition than a romantic union. The ancient Romans used iron rings to symbolize power and permanence, and the Greeks are believed to have originated the idea of wearing the ring on the fourth finger of the left hand because they believed the vein of love connected that to the heart.
In the 9th century, Pope Nicolas contributed to the idea of engagement rings when he made it obligatory to give an engagement ring – this was to show that the prospective husband had the wherewithal to keep a wife. This was further endorsed in the thirteenth century by Pope Innocent III.