Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-04-03
FINGER RINGS.
Noted Rings of Antiquity-RinE Su.
perStitiOns.

Noted Rings of Antiquity-RtnE Bu.
PerstitiOns.
Finger rings are of the greatest antiquity
and Of universal fashion. One ofthe cOlos-
sal figures Of antiquity is Suphis, or Cheops,
King of Memphis, who during his life time
caused the Great Pyramid to be built for
his tomb. Every decree connected with the
building of the Great Pyramid, or with the
thousands of men employed on it, was
sealed with the signet ring of Suphis. No
other finger ring was ever connected with
such vast human work. The Great Pyra-
mid, which may have cast its shadow over
Alexander and Cambyses, still points sun
ward, a monument Of one mans vanity and
power; and the same ring which tells all its
II arvellOus story CLEANS as brightly to-day
as when il glittered on the hand of Cheops,
more than three thousand years ago. This
is the most valuable ring of antiquity inthe
world. The ring is in the highest state Of
preservation, and was found at GhiZeh, in
tomb near that excavation of Col. Vyse'e
called Campbell's Tomb. 1t is Of fine gold.
The style of the hieroglyphics is in perfect
accordance with those in the tombs about
the Great Pyramid, and the hiersglyphics
within the oval make the name of that
Pharaoh of whom the Pyramid was the
tomb.
Solomon was said to own a ring which
possessed magical powers. Pharaoh gave
a ling to Joseph, the patriarch, as sign of
his delegated authority. When the Roman
ambassador required the King Of Bithynia
to give Hannibal up, the latter, on the point
of the Kings doing so, swallowed poison,
which he always carried about in his ring.
In the time of Alexander the Great it was
customary in Athens to wear magnificent
rings with engraved stones. 1t is recorded
that DemOsthenes was fond Of finger rings.
The Romans collected cases Of rings, many
of which are mentioned as being at Rome;
among these was that which Pompey the
Great took from MiUhridates, and dedicated
to Jupiter in the capital. Upon Pompey's
ring were engraved three trophies, as en-
blems of his three triumphs over the three |
parts of the world-Europe, Asia and Africa.
Caesars ring bore an armed Venus. On |
that of Augustus there was first a sphinx, |
afterwards the image of Alexander the Great, |
and at last his own, which the succeeding |
Emperors continued to use. Nero's signet |
bore Apollo Staying Marsyas. This EN- |
peror's musical vanity led him to adopt It. |
When the practice of deifying the princes |
and heroes became general, port ats Of men |
took the place of more ancient types. This |
custom gave birth to the cameo, when Greek |
ar lists were encouraged to settle in Rome IN |
order to supply the demand for these beau |
tiful ornaments. Seneca mentions ring /
set with the head of Tiberius in cameo. |
The stones principally used by the Greek |
and Romans for cameo-cutting were agate, |
onyx and the Indian sardonyx; the latter
was most priced on account Of variety OF |
tint in its different beds or layers and the /
beautiful, warm, transparent, cornelianlike |
ground. The ring of NOnius contained the /
largest opal known to the ancients, on &C
count of which its possessor was prescribed
by Mark Antony. 1t was Of the size Of
hazel-nut, and was valued at sum equal TO
Of our money. When Nonius took
to fight he carried nothing with him but
this ring. "How marvellous" adds Pliny,
"must have been the cruelty, how marvel
GUS the luxurious passion of Antonius,thus
to proscri g a man for the possession of a
Jewel; and no less marvellous must have
been the obstinacy of Nonius, who could
thus dote upon what had been the cause Of
his prescription" Coming down to more
modern times we are told that the ring which
George Washington had placed on the finger
of his bride MRS. Martha Gusts, the beau
tiful young widow, in January 1859 is still
preserved. 1t is gold ring set with topaz.
The topaz is derived from the Island
Topazioh, which was supposed to be stu
ated in the Red Sea. There are two kinds
of topazes. The superior is golden color
the other inclines to a greenish yellow. The
second species was called chTysopase, name
which indicates the blending of gold and
Ieek color. In allusion to the latter color,
the stone is called in the Chaldean dialect
arken (green) which is the equivalent to
praise.
Giving rings in marriage ceremonies is
to indicate the eternity OF the
union, seeing that circle is endless. The
Jewish bridegroom puts the ring on the fore
finger Of the brides right hand, and this is
The rule in the Greek Church also. In the
Roman and Anglican, the ring is placed on
The fourth finger of he woman's left hand,
5he origin of which has been much disputed.
Sir Thomas Browne apprOpriates chapter
10 this inquiry, observing. "An opinion
here is, which magnifes the fourth finger of
he left hand, presUming therein cardinal
,elation, that particular vessel, nerve, vein
Or artery, is conferred thereunto from the
leart, and, therefore, that hath especially
honor to bear our rings" Sir Thomas then
-efers to this practice as common not only
n Christian but heather nuptial contracts.
7linv states that in the portraits oftne gods
he rings were worn on the finger next to
he thumb; that the Romans wore them on
he middle finger, as the ancient Gauls and
3ritons, and some upon the fore fingers, as is
leducible FROM Julius Pollux, who names
hat ring Corionas. Since, therefore, the
practice differs in various counties, we can
scarcely refer it to any natural cause which
would alike affect all. Sir Thomas next
examines the anatomical details Of nerve,
-ein and artery; adding that inspection does
particular vessel in his finger" I
md that "propagatiOns being communicated
INTO both hands, we have no greater reason
o wear our rings on the left than on the
light" The LdrGm Manual, as old as
OS5, says: "The ling should be so placed
because in this medicine finger is certain
-ein which goes directly to the heart" {
Among the Jews there sometimes was an {
of rings, the bride, first giving a
lain ring of silver, and receiving back a
ing of gold. The difference Of metal was I
to symbolic an acknowledge
nent of inequality on the part of the wo- I
mar.
EASY LIvING.-There is place in Ore
yon called the Smoky Valley, where the peo-