The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-02-07
NUMBER 3.
ringer R5'cs Of A,sticsttsu-Efrsa
5t5peTSttftorts, -

and Of universal fashion. One OF the CO.
losSGl figures Of antiquity is SuphiS, OF
theo!s, King Of Memphis, Who during his
lifetime caused the Great Pyramid to he
Lu,t for h:s tomb. Every dec! ee connected
vlLh the Gui,G:HGuf the Great Pyramid, or
was sea:sa with ihc sicnet ring Of Suphis.
30 ,.acr finger ring was ever connected
7.s,h ~y,n Is vast human work. The GTsat
l'yla.Hld, winch may have cast its shadow
over Alexander ADD EambysCs, stiU points
s,rrwa@,., 4 monument Of mans vanity and
power and the same ring v hich tells al it's
marvellous story T.cGEtS as brightly to-day
a7 " iiea it g,:tscIeG On lie hand Of Cheops,
more u'an three Thousand years ago
as is lac most vaiUst5ir ring Of antiquity
J. tie N4t'd. This ring is IN the highest
S."te 't preservation, and was found at
Giizsl, ~ 2 tomb near that excavation Of
Colonel Nyse's called Camnben's Toub, II
Is Cf fine gold. The style Of the hero
g'yFh.cs Is III % IfCCt accordance with those
III tie tonlhs about Tie Great PYRAMID. and
the h.eTnglyph.cs within the eval make the
name oi that Hhara3h Of whom the Pyramid
was tie tomb.
Solomon VAS said to own ring which
possessed IlaEical powers. Pharaoh gave;
q ring 10 Joseph. the patriarch, a. a sign of
his delegated authority. When the Roman
ambassador required the King of Pithy1Iia
t. give Hannibalup the latter. on the point
oi the hIng's dong SO, swallowed poison.
when lie always carried about in his ring.
In the time Of Alexander the Great II was
customary in athens to wear magnificent
rings with engraved stones. Il is recorded
that DeTosthenos 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 Mithrdates, and dedi-
Gated 10 Jupiter in the capital. Upon Pom
pcy'S ring were engraved three trophies as
eIElCms of his three triumphS over the
three parts OF the wOTid-Europe, Asia, and
Africa.
CRsar's ring bore an armed Venus. On
that of Augustus there was first \ sphinx.
afterwards the image of Alexander the
Great, and At last his own, which the sue
ceeding Emperors continued touSe. Nero's
signct bora apollo SlayiHg Narsyas. This
Emperor < musical vanity led him to ado0t
II. " ben the practice of defVing the priIl-
ceS and heroes became general portraits Of
men -ook the place Of more ancient types.
I his custom gave birth to the cameo, when
Greek artists were encouraged to settle in
Rome III order to supply the demand for
these beautiful ornaments. Seneca mon
uoUs ring set with the head of Tibcrius
IN cameo. he stones principally used by
The Greeks and Romans for Can!eo-cuttiDr,
We're agate, onyx, and he Indian sardonyx
The latter was most l,riZed on account OF
variety Of tint in its different beds orIavers
and the beautiful, warm, tIauspareEt. csr-
uclian-hke ground The ring of NOnius
contained the largest opal known to the
arcicuts, on account of which its pCssesqor
was prescribed by Mark Antony 1t was
OF the size of a haZelnut, and was valued
at 4 sum equal to $50, 900 of our money.
When EOnius icd he carried nothing with
him Gu5 this ring. "Iow marvellous
II I
now marvellous the luxurious passion of
Antonious, thus 10 prescribe a man forthe
possession OF jewel; and no less marvel
GUS must have been the obstiuacy of NOni-
us, who could thus dote upon what had
been the cause Of his prescription" Com
ing down to moro modern times we are
told that the ring which George Washington
had placed Oh the finger OF his bride Mrs.
Martha Cusiis. the beaut fIll young widow,
in January, l-5S, is stiIl preserved. tits
god ring set with topaz. The topaz is
derived from the Island Topazion, which
was supposed 70 be situated in the Red Sea.
There are two kinds OF topazes. The su-
peror is n golden color; the other inclines
to greeri>h yellow. The second species
WAS called chrysopase, name which indi-
Gates the blending of gold and leek color
called in The Caldean dialect jarlzen green),
which IS the equivalent to praise.
Giving rings in marriage ceremonies is
supposed 20 indicate the eternity of the
union, seeing that circle Is endless The
e FiSh bridegroom puts the ring on tho
.oTedngcr II tte bride right hand, and this
IS the rule in the Greek Church also In
Ae roman and Anglican the ring is placed
N the fourth finger Of the woman's left
laad, the origin Of which has been much
disputed. Sir Thomas Browne approprfates
4 chapter to this inquiry, observing: "An
opinion there Is which pagnifes the fourth
niger OF the LETT hand, presum.ug therein
/ cordial relation, that particular vessel,
nerve, vein, or artery is conferred thcreunt1
rom the heart and, therefore, that hath
specially the honor to bear our rings" Sir
homas then refers to this practice as com
non not only in Christian but heather nup-
ial contracts. pliny states that IN the por-
rats Of the gods the rings were worn on
he finger next the thumb; that the r.
mans Wore them on the middle finger, a5
/ d also the ancient Gauls and Britons. and
some upon The forefnger, as is deducibis
from Julius FOl!UX. who names the riu.s
Corionas. Since, therefore, the practice
differs In various countries. we can scarce.v
refer it to any .atural cause which would
alike affect all. Sir Thomas next exam
ines tho anatomical details Of nerve, VEN,
and artery; adding that inspection does
not confirm a particular vessel ii his fin
ger, and that preparations being cOmmu-
licated unto both hands, we have no great
er reason to wear our rings on the left than
Oh the right" The LaTam Manual as Old
as TQS5. ssvs. .sThe ring should he so placed
because in this mefiicifie finger is a certain
vein which goes directly to the heart"
Among lie Jews there sometimes was
m c~chanaing Of rings, the bride first Civ
np a plain ring Of silver, and receiving
,ack a ring Of gold. The difference of
uetal was understood to symbolic an &C
OF inequality on the part Of
he woman.