Wedding Ring Traditions Around the World
From Ancient Egyptian Culture to Modern Irish Claddagh Rings
Mar 25, 2009 Victoria Anisman-Reiner
Wedding rings are traditional all over the world, their perfect circle representing the eternity of love. But the styles and details of the rings vary widely from culture to culture and place to place. In India, toe rings are traditionally worn instead of finger rings to show a woman's married status. Russian Catholics wear a trinity ring to symbolize their faith. If you're looking for a unique style for your wedding or engagement ring, look no further than these fascinating rings worn by cultures and people around the world.
Engraved Hawaiian Rings
Hawaiian couples often wear specially engraved rings decorated with the spouse's name. The letters are engraved in elaborate or antique-looking font, and can be darkened or allowed to blend into the metal ring.
Irish Claddagh Ring
The Claddagh ring (pronounced "clad-daw") sports a crowned heart, held between two hands, representing love, loyalty and friendship. This traditional Irish ring can be worn upright or facedown on either hand, denoting the wearer's relationship status.
Russian Catholic Trinity Ring
Russian Catholics favor a wedding band made of three interlocking rings. The rings, representing the Trinity, can be made of metals of three different colors or all of the same precious metal for a more uniform look.
Turkish Puzzle Ring
The popular puzzle ring is said to have been developed 2000 years ago by a jealous Turkish traveler determined to know whether his wife was loyal to him. Unable to reassemble it once it was removed, she was forced to keep the ring on her finger or face her husband's wrath when he returned.
Puzzle rings can be made of 4, 5, 6 or as many as 24 thin, odd-shaped rings that join together in the right combination to made an ornate ring that resembles Celtic knotwork.
Indian Bichiya Toe Ring
Toe rings or "bichiya" are popular in India, where they may be worn on any toe, singly or in pairs. Married women often wear a large, ornate ring on the big toe (or both big toes). Toe rings should not be made of gold, because it is a "respected" metal that is worn by Hindus on only the upper half of the body, but gold and diamond toe rings are increasingly common today.
Ancient Egypt: Which Hand Wears the Wedding Ring?
Wedding and engagement rings are normally worn on the fourth finger of the left hand. The Ancient Egyptians believed that there was a nerve, vein or artery – the Romans called it the "vena amoris" or "vein of love" - that ran from this finger directly to the heart.
It might be impossible to put a ring, symbol of eternal devotion, around a lover's heart, so ancient tradition said that a ring around the fourth finger would serve instead. In most parts of the world, wedding rings are worn on the left hand because it is closer to the heart, but in other regions the right hand is traditional because it is "more righteous."
Russian Catholic Trinity Wedding Ring
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