Why is it customary to wear a wedding ring on the ring finger? The question is who first invented wedding rings. All sources say that the championship in this love game "Ring" the ring finger of lovers rightfully belongs to the Egyptians

Wedding Old Slavonic wedding rings are a talisman of family life. It is impossible to say exactly from what period our ancestors began to exchange rings upon marriage, but the fact that they are mentioned in the annals is absolutely certain.

B.A. Rybakov, in his study of the life and life of the Slavs, mentions that wedding rings were usually given to girls complete with other wedding amulets, each of which had its own meaning.

It was believed that a ring with a certain symbolism of the macrocosm (the movement of the sun through the three stages of a person's life) would protect the personal world of a woman and her family, grant her wisdom, fertility and happiness.

In addition to the ring, they gave a couple of spoons for the wedding (two people are married, eat food together until the end of their days, do not feel need for anything), guard the bird in the nest (which is responsible for peace and harmony in the family), a key (a symbol of safety, belonging one person to another until the end of days), the jaw of a predatory animal (for protection from spiteful critics).

Now wedding rings with Slavic symbols are very popular, they combine both early Slavic symbols and later ones.

Main motives

The most popular motif in wedding rings is the swastika motif, which had a huge number of styles and interpretations (about 50 meanings). The main meaning of the swastika among the ancient Slavs is a symbol of eternal life, a sign of the sun god, the victory of good over evil, an endless cycle of life. A similar drawing on wedding rings means fidelity until the end of days, reverence and love, the desire to overcome all difficulties together and live hand in hand in another world in order to be reborn again.

Another popular ancient Slavic motif on modern wedding rings is the wedding man. A wedding man is two swastikas: red and blue (male and female), which intertwine with each other, forming their own world. However, they do not close in a circle. This symbolizes that the family does not live by itself, but in accordance with the traditions of the tribe and the will of the gods, prolonging their family. There are no right angles in this amulet, a symbol of smoothness and peace in married life.

Eight rays - eight children who were to be born in the family in payment of a debt to their parents and gods (four were given by the mother, four by the father), and the ninth child - the first-born - is a gift from both parents to the Family. Previously, the wedding man was woven into embroidery on a wedding dress, now it is customary to use it on rings and amulets.

Wedding rings are decorated with the solarard sign. This is another type of swastika, which is a symbol of fertility and femininity. A symbol of the prosperity of the land of the ancestors.

A popular symbol for wedding rings is the Odal rune, which denotes a symbol of procreation, homeland, property. To a greater extent symbolizes the safety of material values ​​in the family.

Women's wedding rings are decorated with a symbol of fertility - Makosh - the mother of the damp earth. But not in her traditional image (a woman stretching her arms to the sky), but in a symbolic one (a large square divided into four parts by two straight lines).

materials

The traditional metal from which the Slavs made wedding rings was bronze, then an alloy of copper and gold. Silver was not used for these purposes, as it was a very rare metal. Newlyweds with silver rings were considered lucky and envied by many couples.

However, despite the fact that silver is now available, it is still not the most popular material for a Slavic marriage ring. It's all about the softness of this metal, which eventually becomes brittle and loses its shape.

A marriage proposal is one of the most romantic and memorable moments in the history of a young couple. On which finger to wear an engagement ring, which is a symbol of the seriousness of the intentions of the future husband? Different cultures have different traditions in this regard.

On which finger to wear an engagement ring?

Wearing a ring handed by the groom is a symbol that the girl is not free and plans to marry her chosen one soon. Immediately after the marriage proposal, the bride-to-be puts a ring on her finger if she accepts the marriage proposal.

Which hand is the ring worn on?

Each country has its own traditions associated with wedding rituals. When watching Western films and TV shows, it is clear that a girl who agrees to get married puts a ring on the ring finger of her left hand. In the Slavic tradition, wear engagement and wedding rings on the right hand.

In Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, wearing a wedding ring on the left hand means that a woman is divorced or widowed. To avoid confusion, it is better to put the engagement ring on the same hand, which after a short time will be decorated with a wedding ring.

The question of which finger to wear an engagement ring on is equivalent in both Western and Slavic culture. The ring is worn on the ring finger.

History of custom

Like many other rituals, a significant sign of engagement between the young has its own history. The most famous versions of the appearance of the custom:

1. Eastern. The tradition began in ancient Egypt. The decoration was supposed to be made of gold and symbolized the loyalty and love of the young. At that time, it was believed that wearing a ring on a certain finger had its own meaning. The ring finger corresponded to Aphrodite, the goddess of love, so wearing a ring on it symbolized love and imminent marriage.
2. Slavic. In pagan times, it was believed that the ring finger was patronized by Yarilo, the god of the Sun and the patron of life throughout the earth. The engagement ring among the Slavs had to be necessarily smooth - it was believed that ornaments and curls interfere with the sacred action of the deity. The female ring was cast from gold - the "male" metal. The girl, on the other hand, handed over to her future husband a silver jewelry, personifying the female essence. According to the beliefs of the Slavs, the combination of two principles in one family gave rise to harmony and love.

What rings are given for engagement?

Unlike an engagement ring, an engagement ring doesn't have to be smooth and simple. On the contrary, the presence of precious and semi-precious stones, ornaments or metal curls are only welcome. The classic version of the engagement ring is one large stone surrounded by small ones on a smooth rim.

Of course, there are no strict rules for the form of this precious gift - you can choose any metal, any shape and any stones. The best choice is to take into account the tastes of the future bride. Even if a girl does not wear rings, by her choice of clothes, accessories and other additions, you can guess which ring she will like.

What stones can be in an engagement ring?

Engagement is traditionally considered to be a major step in adult life. That is why it is not customary to save money when choosing engagement jewelry. Classic stones in the ring:

• Diamond;

Also, semi-precious stones are often used:

Most often you can find options from gold of various shades (white, lemon, pink), but other metals are also popular: silver, platinum, tungsten, titanium.

If the future groom is short of money, he can stop at the budget version of the engagement ring. But if there are no problems with finances, you should not skimp - the girl will certainly appreciate the grand gesture.

How is an engagement ring worn before and after marriage?

In Russia, it is customary to wear one wedding ring after the wedding, removing the engagement ring from the finger. But traditions tend to change and now the bride has the following options:

1. Before the wedding, wear an engagement ring, and after the wedding, take it off and wear a wedding band.
2. Wear both jewelry at the same time. They are usually worn on one finger.
3. Wear your engagement ring as a separate accessory for special occasions. This option is most relevant when the value of a piece of jewelry or its heirloom is significant.

In the West, one can often come across the tradition of giving rings to the younger generation of one's family for engagement. This is a very touching custom that promotes the closeness of generations.

Another wonderful custom is that the groom himself participates in the design of the jewelry. In this case, the ring becomes valuable not only because of the number of precious stones, but also because of the personal contribution of the future husband.

If you plan to wear both rings together after the wedding, you should make sure that they match. Despite the fact that in modern fashion there are no strict rules for combining jewelry with each other, rings of a similar design and the same shade of gold will look more effective.

Can you take off your engagement ring?

Traditions are quite unanimous about this - if a girl takes off her ring, she doubts her choice of a future husband. All folk signs say that love will be strong, and family happiness cloudless only when it is constantly worn.

Whether to follow popular beliefs or do what is more convenient is up to your family to decide. After all, a strong marriage union is much more than jewelry and the rules for wearing it.

The name of this decoration comes from the old Russian word KOLO - circle. The circle is considered the basis of the universe, it has neither beginning nor end. Infinity wrapped around a finger. Its center is the place of passage of heavenly power, divine breath.

The owner can be seen as the owner of his own universe, which he carries with him and can, if necessary, use. In Russian fairy tales, by changing the location of the ring on the hand, one could instantly be transported to another place (“The Scarlet Flower”), summon almost omnipotent helpers (“Golden Ring”), hide the whole kingdom in it and take it with them as a dowry (“Golden Ring”). , silver and copper kingdoms"). We are talking about a ring - ordinary, but not simple. Every woman has it, and not even one, men also own rings; but we have almost forgotten what rings mean and what they can do for their owners.

Once upon a time, the ring could also serve as a symbol of power. For a long time, Russian tsars (up to Alexei Mikhailovich) wore the so-called "attack" - a ring on the thumb. In those days, a similar option for using this decoration in Russia was an exclusively royal privilege. At the same time, people of the lower or middle classes could wear simple rings for professional reasons.

Archers preferred to use several rings at once (usually three) - on the ring, middle and index fingers, in order to protect their hands from being cut by a bowstring. Shoemakers used thimble rings in their work, which is much more convenient than a “separate”, closed thimble. Fist fighters tried before the fight to humiliate their fingers with more massive rings, preferably with a sharp stone.

Gradually, the ring or ring becomes a kind of identification mark, "identity card". The imperfection of the documentation - up to the appearance of photography - did not allow the use of any papers, letters (or parchments) as indisputable evidence that a person is exactly who he claims to be. In this sense, they relied on rings much more: after all, in order to take the ring away, you need to kill its owner or put it into an insensible state. And the diploma can be simply stolen. Of course, in order to serve as an identification mark, the item must be unique. Therefore, the concept of "expensive rings" did not exist - they were all like that.

In the folk tradition, any knot tied on clothes, hair, wrist protects a person from evil. Being in the outlined circle was inaccessible to evil spirits. And our ancestors used rings as a talisman. To drive away the disease from the newborn, he was bathed in water with a silver ring; when putting the child to sleep, the ring was placed under his pillow. In order for the birth to be easy, the expectant mother should not remove the ring during the entire period of pregnancy. To return a spouse leaving the family, you need to look at him through the wedding ring. Wanting to see the groom in a dream, the girls put the ring under the pillow, or put it on the toe of their right foot.

In tradition, a ring on one or another finger was worn for a reason: being a magical attribute, it could tell a lot about its owner. If you seriously approach the choice of a ring and the place it is worn on your hand, you can adjust your character, health and life situation in general. Usually, the ring on the right hand of the right-hander indicates what his condition is at the moment. The ring on the left hand indicates what condition would be desirable for this person. It is more difficult to determine the state of left-handers - the ring expressing the current state can be on both the right and left hands.

People who are expansive, emotional and have huge reserves of energy often wear rings on the thumb. The ring on this finger is associated with active masculine manifestations, with its help you can give yourself determination or restrain your too stormy temperament.

The ring on the thumb pacifies aggression in a person, helping to make his relationship with people more harmonious. Wearers of the ring on the thumb are usually stubborn, trying by any means to establish themselves in the world, and, first of all, sexually. The ancient Greeks and Romans wore a ring on their thumb to protect their manhood.

It is better to wear a copper ring on the thumb. A ring on the index finger will help indecisive and shy people, it will make them more confident, increase self-esteem. In addition, it is believed that it will bring good luck and success. A person will be able to gain inner faith in his own strength, become more insightful and expand the horizons of knowledge. It is better that this ring is made of gold.

Unlucky people, on the way of which there are many obstacles, will bring good luck to the ring worn on the middle finger. Here it is worth wearing a family ring (if any), passed down through generations of relatives to you by inheritance. The ring on the middle finger helps to cope with difficulties, gives strength to endure and go through all the hardships. Also, a ring on the middle finger would be suitable for those who are engaged in meditation or introspection.

On the middle finger, rings made of iron (steel) work more harmoniously.

Lovers of decorating the ring finger emphasize their passion for beauty, exquisite things and wealth. Usually these are aesthetes, lovers of pleasure, thirsting for fame and fortune (most of all this applies to men wearing rings). The ring on the ring finger, especially gold, helps self-expression and the acquisition of fame and wealth.

Calm and confident people are better off with a small ring, while emotional and hot people will be more comfortable with large rings. Also, the ring on the ring finger of the right hand is worn by married people, and gold, as the metal of the Sun, is best suited to strengthen love in marriage.

For those who lack eloquence, flexibility of mind or dexterity of hands, a ring on the little finger will help. It can also help to establish business contacts and find a common language with different people. It is useful to decorate the little finger for diplomats, doctors, businessmen, speakers, politicians and analysts, as well as those who need support in these areas of our lives. A ring on the little finger would suit lovers of gambling and flirting. People who wear rings on their little fingers often tell lies, are quirky and prone to betrayal and adventure - the ring helps to suppress these qualities of their character.

From time immemorial, people have believed in the magical properties of various symbols. On their basis, amulets, talismans, amulets were created that called on certain forces to help people in trouble, protect, or.

Ancient people kept wisdom and knowledge in legends, myths, fairy tales. These seemingly children's stories reflect the life and beliefs of our ancestors. The key subject of many fairy tales is the ring. Later it began to be used as an ordinary decoration, but initially it carried a deeper meaning. Our ancestors believed in the magical power of this item, and their knowledge will help you choose the right charm rings.

ancient traditions

The ring is the embodiment of the circle, which, together with the cross, is one of the most common signs. It is found in many world cultures and movements, ranging from the Ancient East, Egypt, Ancient Greece, and ending with Kabbalah, alchemy and even modern religions.

The power of the circle has great power

Among the Slavs, the stake symbol denoted solar energy, the infinity of life. The closing line symbolized the completeness and unity of everything in the world. By circling the object in a circle, it was possible to protect it; not a single evil force is capable of breaking such a border. Remember, this is how the hero of Gogol's Viy defended himself.

The amulet ring on the finger performed the same functions. It could give strength, confidence, protect from disease and damage. In folk tales, a ring can make a person inventive, invincible. A ring is a magical item that grants wishes, makes its owner lucky, changes his fate, the main thing is to find your own.

Individual approach

Slavic amulets were not made for everyone at once. They were made for a specific person, charging the object so that personal energy multiplied. For a ring to be protective and beneficial, it must match the wearer's personality. To do this, it was necessary to know the name of the future owner of the amulet, date of birth, zodiac sign.

According to tradition, each person was given two names. The first was whispered in the ear immediately after birth. Only his parents and the man himself knew about him. The second was publicized, often unsightly or repulsive. It was believed that evil spirits and death itself could not come to the soul if they did not know the real name of the victim.

The secret name was written on the inside of the amulet ring

The secret name was placed on the back of the amulet ring. So, it helped the owner, and was securely hidden from the devil. The Slavic amulet ring was a personal item, people believed that if you give it to others, you can bring trouble on yourself. The outer side of the ring was decorated with runes and symbols of mystical significance. For example, for a warrior on such a talisman they depicted a sign of courage, for a mother - a sign of the guardian of the family.

Material for mascots

The value of the amulet ring is determined by each of its details. The materials from which it is made can enhance the spirit of a person and each other's properties, or, on the contrary, they can repel, sowing negativity. It is important to know how they are combined with each other, and most importantly with the person who wears them.

Charm rings made of bones carried the spirit of the animal

In ancient times, people used everything for jewelry, including animal bones. They believed that the spirit of the animal is preserved in them, and the owner of the amulet ring made of bone acquires the best qualities of this animal. Now it is popular to use wood, precious and semi-precious stones, metals for the manufacture of amulets.

Male energy is carried by warm, yellow metals, which are associated with the Sun. Light metals have female lunar energy. For the exchange of energies, women, as a rule, wore gold and copper, and silver rings were intended for men. The symbols on the amulet ring also often referred to either male or female.

Stone inlay complemented the power of the amulet ring very well.

An important element of the amulet ring was a stone. Previously, they differed in the direction of their action. Some controlled power, others relationships, others were responsible for material well-being, the fourth strengthened health.

When studying the paganism of the ancient Slavs, while elucidating the roots and depths of folk memory throughout the first millennium of our era, academic archaeologist B. A. Rybakov investigated the emergence of religious and mythological ideas. He carefully studied folk amulets, and paganism in urban life, as well as rituals and festivities. Slavic wedding rings are described by him very briefly. Although the rings found in the burials are given some space.

What were the real rings?

As Academician B.A. Rybakov writes, these smallest pieces of jewelry show the idea of ​​the macrocosm, which should protect the microcosm of the girl. which is applied to Slavic wedding rings is three crosses or three suns, or two crosses and a sun in the middle. This technique shows the movement of the heavenly body from dawn to the middle of the day and from noon, its highest point (which the pagans revered), to sunset. These were the wedding rings found in burials. The venerable scientist says nothing more about rings.

Here is a photograph of real Slavic rings from the 13th-19th centuries.

Wedding amulets of the ancient Slavs

B. A. Rybakov describes the most complete set of amulets as follows:

• Quietly sitting bird (is it in the nest?).
• Two spoons.
• Sawtooth object (jaws of a predator).
• Key.

Their meaning is as follows: a bird builds a family nest, spoons intended for a couple express a wish to be full, and if wider, they mean well-being in general. The symbolism of the key is the safety of the family's property. The jaw of a predator is an ancient amulet that drives away all evil from a person. Slavic wedding rings with a wedding man are not mentioned by scientists. The term "svadebnik" is missing from his two-volume study. One has to come to the conclusion that this is a mythology created already in our time. She is, of course, beautiful, but in fact, quite far from the truth.

Mythology of the 21st century

Lack of faith - fluctuations from monotheism to polytheism - in these days is replaced by the creation of marvelous fairy tales. This does not mean that they should not exist. Let them be, but taking them seriously is the height of naivety. So are Slavic wedding rings. Let them exist.

Jewelers make them exceptionally beautiful, patterned. And if you remember Buddhism, it assumes that each person exists in his own world. And if he believes in it, then it means that he has a place. If you believe in Slavic wedding rings as amulets, then perhaps they will become them. It's like a placebo effect. We drink, as we were told, medicine, but in fact something useless, but it works, and the person feels better for a while.

What do fairy tales say today?

Modern myth-makers have a rich imagination, certain knowledge of history, which they twist as they please, and knowledge of archetypes according to Jung. Therefore, in their tales it is difficult to distinguish between truth and harmless fiction. For example, they write that patterns were not applied to Slavic wedding rings. The wedding man is a special symbol - a powerful amulet. It was required to preserve love (and in ancient times love marriages, we recall, were rare, they were concluded mainly by calculation), and the interaction of childbirth, and harmony in the marriage union. Here is a photo in front of you - a ring with a wedding man, consisting of open eights.

The number eight resembles the sign of infinity, which, according to the authors, should mean the immutability of the ongoing processes. But the lack of change is stagnation and stagnation. Is it good? Shouldn't young people be active, energetic and open to change, actively influencing the surrounding reality? In other words, to promote progress and self-development.

What else can be found in myths?

Some suggest giving Slavic wedding rings to single people raising children in order to preserve family energy. Other authors, on the contrary, are categorically against such a gift, since a person will forever remain alone, a person should not unite with loneliness. It's just a question of what you yourself will believe, what kind of world you will create for yourself after such a wedding gift.

This leads to the simplest thought - "yes, fairy tales are everything!". Such rings and a wedding man in themselves do not represent anything significant, but only reveal our subconscious.

Conclusion

You can and should give beautiful wedding rings with and without symbols. But this should not be given great importance. The main thing is pure and kind relations, an internal connection, which in the family is united by a single goal. Then life will flow quite harmoniously.