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In today’s society wearing a ring can mean many things. It can mean that you are married, or engaged to be married; it can be a sign of your success in life; a membership or college attendance; or it could be a statement of your own personal taste or artistic flair…with or without cultural undertones. However, throughout history... rings have been worn for many other reasons and hidden purposes.
10 A Mark of High Birth
It appears that the women of the roman empire were allowed to wear as many gold rings as they were able - whether poor or rich - with little to no consequence from the powers that be. However - in that time - male citizens wearing gold rings had a different significance and or consequence altogether.
A male citizen wearing a gold ring had a very high value in the eyes of the ancient Romans. The male wearing a gold ring was a sign of a noble or high ranking birth, and in later times…as a free birth, as opposed to being born under a lesser station - such as slavery.
If a Roman male was born a slave, but then freed…he was under a decree that stated: “if a master, on freeing his slave, has declared him to be a Roman citizen (and he is not allowed to do otherwise), let it be known that, according to the present law, he who has received his liberty shall have the right to gold rings and to regeneration, and shall not need to solicit the right of the prince, or to take any other steps to secure it. It will be his as a consequence of his liberation, in virtue of the present law, which goes into effect this day.” (1)
However, sometimes such a male – wanting to live under the radar - would cover his gold ring with iron so as not to be openly recognized as a born nobleman, or a freed man. But, he would secretly be able to retain personal satisfaction knowing that it was on his finger.
Male artists of that time - such as actors - were sometimes given the gift of a gold ring if their talent caught the eye of an influential admirer.
On days of national mourning, gold rings were either taken off or replaced by iron rings as a sign of sorrow and respect. This was a great mark of humility, and was duly noted by high-ranking noblemen of the time; in some instances saving a man from execution when he was accused of a wrong doing.
9 A Talisman to Hide Poison
As a last resort to free oneself from disgrace or a fate worse than death... a man or woman would wear a precious stone set in a ring with a hidden compartment containing a deadly dose of poison.
They would break the stone free from the ring between their teeth and the poison that was kept below it – in a hidden compartment - would kill them instantly.
Many times these types of rings would hold a curious passage such as, “Hast thou then no ring? Suck it out and thou wilt die.” (2)
Some of these ancient rings were made to hold an aromatic poison, or airborne toxin …others were adorned with Lions claws, and when the ring was turned sideways it could puncture an enemy’s hand with a poisonous toxin upon a handshake.
No doubt that this type of self-induced suicide or imposed homicide by poison, beat out the more common forms a executing someone in those days - such as being fed to the lions, being stoned to death, being buried alive, burned alive, or having your head chopped off…... ahhh, bring on the poison! And - who knew... that they were so James-Bond-like back then.
There were talisman rings-of-healing as well. Depending on the stone, what was engraved, and/or the mystic or religious inscription… these types of rings were said to have had special powers to cure disease. They were especially notable dated in legend back to the time of Edward the Confessor.
In more primitive times a ring that was a knotted cord or a wire twisted into a knot was considered a charm. These types of rings were used to cast a spell that deprived the person of the use of one of his/her limbs or other faculties. At other times it was used to cast out evil spirits thus curing the person of whatever ailed him/her.
8 Used as Money
As early as 1200AD rings set with precious stones were often legally used as tender coupled with or without marks.
These rings were used to bind a bargain in transactions involving deeds, leases, land, or houses.
And ….who knows what or whom else was bargained for in that time…yikes!
7 Worn by Assignment
In the sixteenth century, it was customary to assign rings according to the quality of the wearer. And by quality they meant social station.
Doctor’s wore them on their thumb; merchants on their index finger; fools on their middle finger – not sure whom would admit to being a fool – no doubt the name fool, was forced upon them for whatever reason; students on their ring finger, and lovers on their baby finger.
Many cultures avoided wearing rings on their middle finger. A curious Hindu superstition: “…anyone who wears a ring on their middle finger will probably get bitten by a scorpion.” (3)
Even today…we feel bitten when someone flips us their middle finger? Just saying.
They also wore rings by seasons. In the summer, rings in open-work gold were worn so-as to not cause the fingers to perspire. They called these rings, “summer-rings” (4)
Weighty rings with heavily laden gemstones were more apt to be worn in the colder months.
Rings with animal images were exclusively worn by women, but only up until to the time of Vespasian at which point men started to wear them as well.
Some of the men in those days were so huge, that they were known to have worn their wife’s bracelet on their thumbs.
Both men and women wore rings on more than one joint per finger.
6 A Stamp or Mark
The people of Mesopotamia – known for their silversmith skills – had a great demand for making signet rings. Signet rings doubled as a stamp or mark. They were made from silver bars and black metallic powder - made into a paste – that allowed for seepage into the depths of the carvings when poured over the ring.
These rings were then engraved with labor intensive ornamental designs that represented official seals for legal documents and contracts.
When these rings were done, they displayed a beautiful contrast between the sparkling silver and the rich black inlays.
5 A Wifely Duty
In early Christianity… within the Christian church, the male owner of a gold ring was considered noble and was given a special place of honor in the congregation. The wives of these men were raised to keep their appearances simple and to avoid wearing adornments of any kind including jewelry.
However…if deemed necessary…wives were allowed to wear a gold ring with the understanding that it was not an ornament... so much as their wifely duty to keep it safe from thievery…thus keeping their husbands estate intact.
This was not the norm because most men of that time period felt that if they kept their women and servants properly trained and in line in the first place…then it would not be a necessity for the wife to wear the ring.
4 To Tell Time
A ring dial was an 18th century watch-ring - containing movable parts …and as the sun’s rays fell upon the figure on the inside… an approximate month and time of day was given. The month names were engraved on the band, and the numbers of the hours were engraved on the inside. Many were framed with pearls and contained initials on the back, and they were very light-weight.
3 As a Memorial
The leaving of a ring for departed friends and loved ones was called a memorial ring and it was as customary in the early 1900’s as a wedding ring was to ones bequeathed.
Many of these rings contained hair from the deceased in a hidden compartment along with an inscription.
Giving these rings was considered a sentimental gesture and so the value of the memorial ring was inconsequential comparably.
The more famous the departed one was – the more rings were left. Shakespeare left rings in his will to four of his fellow townsmen, and three of his beloved actor-friends.
Richard the II “…left a gold ring to each of his nine executors, five of whom were bishops, and four great nobles.” (5)
2 A Dispenser for Perfume or Disinfectant
Mimicking a refinement of 18th century civilization…the later part of the 1900’s brought rings of plain gold containing a small plastic ball with a valve at the back where pressurized discharges of small spritzes of perfume or disinfectant were launched into the room upon squeezing. These were said to have been curative in nature…at least for the lack of regular bathing…as one might imagine.
1 To Command Greater Respect
Among the early Pueblo Indians, a female wearing a ring on every finger made of silver and turquoise meant that she was either the daughter, wife or the descendant of a great chief.
The great philosopher Aristotle was said to have adorned both of his hands with many rings. This fact became a main source of contention between him and Plato. No one really knew why he wore so many rings (some suspected an appeal from his students) … or why him wearing them made Plato so darn mad.
In the Roman and Greek churches – and to this day – one of the most revered class of rings was/is called the “Fisherman’s Ring”. (6) It was given to abbots in earlier times and to cardinals and bishops in later times.
This ring was in a class called Papal rings. Others rings of this type bearing Christian emblems – were sometimes worn by nuns, and widows who vowed to never re-marry after their husbands passed away. Hmmm, a gold ring - or another husband - no brainer…just kidding!
Written by,
Dannie Duncan
Author of - You Will Be OK, I Promise; A Uniquely Helpful Guidebook...Available on Amazon
References:
https://books.google.com/books?id=a4FCAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA36&dq=hiding+poison+in+rings&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjonviX2KbRAhVK2WMKHQz-CF0Q6AEILTAB#v=onepage&q=hiding%20poison%20in%20rings&f=false
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Link 1: (page 15)
General facts used for para-phrasing ( pages 12 thru 15)
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Link 2: (page 36)
General facts for para-phrasing ( Forward page viii, and pages 2 & 36)
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General facts for para-phrasing ( page 36)
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Link 3: (page 56)
Link 4: ( page 57)
General facts for para-phrasing ( page 57 & 58)
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General facts for para-phrasing ( page 31)
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General facts for para-phrasing ( page 14)
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General facts for para-phrasing ( page 39 & 40)
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Link 5: (page 41)
General facts for para-phrasing ( page 41)
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General facts for para-phrasing ( page 38)
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Link 6: (Forward page vii)
General facts for para-phrasing ( [in subject order] page 24, 32, 15)