Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-06-06
FINGER RINGS.
Their Origin and Uses Among Tribes
People and Nations.


When. where, by whom rings were first
worn-on the fingers, not, after the manner
of the barbarians, in the ears, nose.
lin. and around the ankles-it is not posi-
bic to assert definitely. Because Homer
does not mention them in his poems, Pliny,
the historian imagines them unknown
prior to the Trojan war, 1l44 b. G. The
Old Testament, however, conclusively
proves that they were in use among the
Egyptians many centuries before this date.
From Asia they were introduced into
Greece, where they were originally of iron.
Later they were made Of gold, and, later
still were set with precious stones. 4 long
time elapsed ere they came into vogue
among the Romans, with whom, as with
the Greeks, they were at FIRST made OF iron.
Then they were OF various metals, accord
ING 10 the rank of the wcarers.
In the early days of the Roman republic
ONLY ambassadors TO foreign countries were
allowed to wear gold rings. This privilege
was eventually accorded to senators, chief
magistrates, knights, and, finally, to eman-
ciuated slaves By degrees the ancient kO-
man beaux and bellies were not satisfied
with a single ring, and came TO wear one
or more on each finger, as frequently do
| the fine ladies of modern times. In i'm
perial Rome the craze reached such hight
that there were rings for different occasions
and seasons Of the year. The cruel and
etleminate HeliOgabulus, who reiSned from
the year DIS to 222, never wore the same
ring twice, however costly. IAlS eXtrava-
gance ceased so soon as ii had become GUS
tOmarv 10 adorn rings with precious stones,
after which period women alone could wear
more than one ring without fear Of being
censured or ridiculcd.
When the Roman hosts invaded Britain,
in SIS. they found the natives wearing rings
of iron, and embellished with bits of glass.
The ring has served many purposes other
than for personal decoration. As mention
ed in Scripture, it was an emblem of au-
thority. Pharaoh passed ring to Joseph
when he made him rule " over all the land
of Egypt" A similar custom prevailed IN
Greece, and Alexander the Great, on his
deathbed, gave his signet-ring to Perdiceas,
thus indicating him the next occupant OF
the throne. Among the Turks and Sara
Gems. a ruler was wont to present ring to
whomsoeyer he appointed to an Office. The
same is true with reference to the earlier
kings of France.
The ring once formed an important part
of the apparatus of the Romish Church,
and when q Bishop Yves buried his ring
was buried with him. Kings, on occa-
sions of their coronation in England, were
formerly invested with a ring that had been
blessed bv the Pope To this day, at West
| minister, a book may be seen in which is
the form Of - hallOWing ring before the
monarch received it from the Archbishop.
The wedding ring antedatcs the Christian
era, and, supposedly, svmbollZes q fidelity
| rs endless as the ring Itself. In most coun-
tries the bride has received it from the
groom in some the reverse has been the
case. In not 4 few each has given the
other ring. 1t has been placed on the
third finger Of the left hand, because " it
thereby pressed a vein that was believed to
! communicate directly with the heart" 10
certain rings magical powers have been
! attributed which protected their possessors
| from sickness and danger, or gained for
! them honor and distinction. Particularly
! ef1icaci0us were the haliowcd rings.
The most wonderful taliSmanlc ring OF
which there IS any record-the only one OF
which space admits our Observation-Disclosures
that of Gyges. One legend IS TO the effect
! that, when wearingit he was invisible, and
enabled to roam about his realm and, I'M
seen by them, learn how his officers con-
Quoted themselves. a more sensible leg
! end, as narrated by an Eastern scholar, is
| While Young handsome, talented, ambi-
| tious Gvges consulted philosopher as to
| the manner in which he could most read
ily win success. Read this every day at
sunrise" replied the sage, handing him a
leaden ring, bearing the following inscrip-
ton: "Ot two individuals, one rises at
o'clock, the other at half-past 0 in the morn
ing. If both live fifty years the former Will
] have some six years of active existence
{ more than the latter" Gyges Immediately
comprehended the significance Of the in
scription. He rose much earlier than his
| fellows lab0red industriously, became an
officer under the King and finally himself
ruled over Lydia I Argosay.