Origin of Engagement Ring

In a previous post I looked at the use of diamonds in engagement rings and discovered what we think of as an age old tradition is actually a relatively recent trend. If you want to read this click here.

The first documented use of diamonds in engagement rings wasn’t until 1477. I wanted to find out why it took so long to get diamonds on womens fingers and what were they doing with the diamonds instead?!

The name diamond is derived from the ancient Greek word adámas meaning unbreakable or unalterable, suggesting that diamonds were used more for their strength than their beauty.

It is believed that diamonds have been around for the past three billion years but the first use of diamonds was in China as early as 4000BC. Scientists discovered diamond fragments with tools which were found at the tombs of wealthy individuals. Theses axes were made from the same material as rubies and sapphires, a mineral called corundum. It is believed the diamonds found with these tools were used to cut the stones and fashion them into workable tools.

These diamonds would have been sourced locally as diamond deposits exist 150 miles from where the burial axes were found. I wondered how in 4000Bc they would mine and sort these diamonds so I did a bit more research. It turns out they were able to sort the diamonds from the gravel by running wet gravel over a greased surface like an animal hide. As the diamond bearing gravel ran down the hide only the diamond fragments would stick to the grease. So they could pick out this sought after hard substance from the gravel.

Corundum, diamond polished axe found in China

It wasn’t until approximately 300BC that they began to be used for decorative purposes. India was the first country to use diamonds as adornement for both themselves and their works of art. Rulers would wear diamond rings as a symbol of their rank and power. There was also a Hindu tradition of placing diamonds as the eyes in statues of their gods. Today some of the oldest known diamonds we have like the Hope and Regent diamond are from India.

As diamonds were intorduced into Europe the strength and indestructibility of diamonds began to increase the belief that they had magical powers. It is said Alexander the Great brought the first diamonds from India to Europe in 327BC. It was thought that if you carried a diamond neither illness or memory loss could affect you. One of the greatest advocates of this was St Hildegarde who wrote about the healing properties of diamonds and their power to ward off evil.

God has endowed precious stones with miraculous powers. They succour man in body and soul, banish Satan and protect all living beings from his malice. Therefore the devil shuns precious stones. They cause him to shudder by day and night

St Hildegard von Bingen, (The Healing Powers of Nature)

As diamonds began to be mined in greater quantities and more attention was being paid to their value, mine owners spread the myth that diamonds were poisonous. They did this so their mine workers wouldn’t attempt to smuggle diamonds out of the mines by swallowing them. While this was a lie I did find many cases of poisoning by diamonds.

Apparently Pope Clement in an attempt to cure illness dosed himself with fourteen spoons of crushed gemstones and diamonds, the doseagee actually resulted in his death. While Catherine de Medici was fond of diamond powder as a means of doing away with her enemies. With stories like this cropping up throughout history, I think I can safely conclude that diamonds are far more beneficial on our fingers!

For todays post, I decided to research the origin of engagement rings.

I had this romantic notion that when I went researching this subject I would find that the first engagement ring was dreamt up by a man who was so madly in love he searched the world for the perfect gift for his future bride. Unfortunately the origins of our beautiful diamond rings aren’t nearly as glamorous.

The tradition was started in ancient Roman culture where a man would give a iron band to his future bride as a public mark that a contract had been made between the two families. How romantic! Iron was the chosen metal as it signified an unbreakable contract, apparently nothing short of death would get you out of an engagement. The ring was also seen as a sign that the woman would pass from the ownership of her father to her husband. This is apparently why men didn’t wear any form of an engagement ring.

Thankfully they ditched the iron in the third century and began to use silver and gold bands. This again symbolized the the contract made but also the grooms faith in his fiancee that she could be trusted with his wealth. Still no sign of the word “love”!

This simple band developed over time to encorporate various symbols of unity such as knots and clasped hands. Over time the engagement ring developed in different directions. The most common incorporating the symbol of joined hands. This ring became known as a ‘concordia’ or fede ring. Fede is an Italian phrase meaning ‘hands (joined) in faith’or a pledge of love. Finally the engagement ring symbolized something more than a legally binding contract! Other rings such as the Gimmel ring (two bands joined together), the Posy ring (decorated with engravings of poetry), and the Puzzle ring.

They also began wearing engagement rings on the third finger of their left hand. This tradition was taken from the Egyptian belief that from that finger ran the “nerve of love” straight to he heart. They also began engraving messages of love on the inside and outside of the ring. The fede ring above is engraved in Latin on the inside ‘ I am a token of love, do not throw me away’.

It is interesting that although there was lots of jewellery set with gemstones and diamonds. The engagement ring didn’t get any diamonds until the 15th century. The first well documented use of diamonds in an engagement ring was by Archduke Maximilian of Austria in 1477. Finally we get something sparkly!

Marriage also began to be consecrated by the church from the 16th century. Amongst peasants this ceremony involved strange traditions where the future husband tried to put the ring on the finger of his bride while she struggled in an attempt to make the ring fall to the ground. I have no idea what this symbolized but I doubt it will make a come back.

That’s as far as my research has taken me for the moment but I’ll continue looking at the development of the engagement ring in a later post.

All photos taken from Sylvie Lambert’s book ‘The Ring‘. It’s a brilliant book that looks at the ring throughout history.

The History of Diamonds

The origin of the engagement ring