Wedding Rings

     Wedding rings are a must for most married people, we all know and accept this. They are presented during proposals, exchanged at ceremonies, and worn for several years on end. Not many people question the symbolism and history behind wedding rings though, for they assume that they exist simply to serve as an indication of marriage. This is not the case at all.

     The history of the wedding ring goes back to ancient times, when life was considered generally more difficult and afflicted. Back then, a husband would often practice a superstitious ritual of sorts to ensure that his wife's bright spirit wouldn't leave her too soon. In this ritual, the man would bind his woman's wrists and ankles with ropes of grass as a way to "keep her spirit within her". Through the years, this binding act of sorts has evolved into what we now know as the tradition of the wedding ring, for the meaning is generally the same. In the end, the ideas and symbols of union and love remain the same, whether you are getting bound in ropes of grass or are slipping on a beautiful wedding ring.

By Julia Dankov