The Dickinson press., 1891-03-28
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RINGS OF THE ANCIENTS.
STYLES WORN BY THE EGYPTIANS,
ROMANS AND HEBREWS.

STYLES WORN BY THE EGYPTIANS,
ROMANS AND HEBREWS.
Rings Are Regarded Differently Now
Than Formerly-Worn Not So Much for
Ornament as for Their Intrinsic Value,
Somc Famous Rings In History.
Looking at the exhibition of modern
finger rings, the old timer is forcibly
struck by the fact that, whereas in the
good old days the decorative art and de-
sign were almost wholly expended ON
the gold band itself, modern jewellers
confined themselves almost exclusively
to combinations of valuable stones. 1t
is a very ungrateful task to spoil ro-
nance, but cold truth compels the ad-
mission that this is a practical age, which
looks largely to the matter of converti-
bility in rings, watches and valuable
presents.
Actors and actresses on their travels
are seldom seen without a diamond pin,
brooch, necklace or solitaire ring, be-
cause these articles represent u condensa-
tion of money in small bulk and unde-
preciable form. The finest workman
ship on tho gold itself goes for nothing.
1t is simply ''old gold"-sold by weight.
1t was very different in "thc days of
DID," though there were plenty of pre-
cious stones available if they had been
needed. The Pharaohs and their states
men, the princesses of Egypt and their fa-
vored attendants, undoubtedly wore
rings, for quite u number of mulnmies
have been found with a dozen finger
rings literally distributed on tho eight
fingers, besides the indispensable thumb
rings. For it is II singular fact that for
hundreds of years after the Christian
era the custom still prevailed of wearing
the wedding ring and tho masculine
token of wealth and power on the thumb.
EGYPTIAN RINGS.
The ring is so frequently alluded to in
the Old Testament as to make it plain
that tho greatest Importance attached to
it, even in the pastoral age. In Gen.
xii, 12, it is stated that "Pharaoh took
off his ring from his hand and put it
on Joselhs hand,' as u signal mark of
favor. III Esth. iii, 10, mention is made
of King Ahasuerus taking his ring from
his hand and giving it to Haman, and
the context shows that certain written
documents were "sealed with tho kings
ring"
The old tinle rings were made of all
sorts of material. Pliny mentions that
iron rings were commonly worn by be-
trothed persons. 1t seems tolelably GER
tain that rings of gold and silver We're
worn only by kings, princes and mobiles,
while less expensive circlets of brass,
ivory, iron and porcelain or glass wero
worn by the average citizen.
The Oldest gold Egyptian finger ring
actually preserved belonged to ANU
noph III, who roigned over Egypt four
teen centuries before Christ was born.
Rings Of the date of Osirtasen and Thoth-
mes Ill, who wero contemporaries of
Joseph and Moses, have been found, but
they are Of common material and doubt
full authenticity. Tho scarabaeus, a beetle
which formed the Egyptian token Of i'm
mortality Crom being a sexual is u COM
mon emblem in Egyptian finger rings,
and ono OF Poes most extrayagant 'etales
Of mystery, imagination and humor" has
q we'll established foundation, so far as
the scarabaeus ring is concerned. 1t
seems to be rolerably certain that Egyp-
tian women wore as many rings as they
could crowd ON their fingers.
ANTIQUITY OF RINGS.
The Egyptians and Romans undoubt-
edly preferred the left hand for ring pur-
poses, while Cesar, Livy and Tacit1s all
seem to insist that tho Gauk and Britons
wore their rings ON the right hand. In
any case, it seems to have been tacitly
agreed that the third finger was the place
Of honor.
The Hebrew rings worn in those good
old days were very ornate and beautiful.
Quite q number Of them have been pre-
served, and they put the art of the mod
ern jeweler entirely to the blush The
most beautiful wero the pledges of be-
throthal or wedding gifts. The cere1no-
MES in connection with these rings seem
to be foreshadowed in the redemption
process specified in Ruth iv, Z. The
workmanship of these Hebrew bcthrothal
rings grew still more elaborate in the
Middle Ages, when towers and minarets
of gold were most exq1isitely built up
on the hoop. The Jewish bride of this
era wore the wedding ring on the first
finger, but in later days shifted it for
convenience h, the third.
The old style ''gemmel" or "gem1non''
ring {evidently associated with the French
Juneau ju1nelle, uncommon, meaning
*twm") is not at all an object in col
lections of antique rings.
The meaning Of the indivisible links is
self evident. Usually at tho marriage of
the parties the links were severed, each
party wearing one of the rings. George
~ gave a gemmel ring to Mrs. Fitz-
herbert. The toadstone ring was another
quaint medieval conception. 1t was an
outcome of superstition and died when
superstition died. The idea OF the toad
stone ring was to prevent mothers and
small children from the evil influences of
the fairies. The smallest wedding ring
ever fashioned was that used at the mar
riage of Mary, the infant daughter of
Henry VIII of England, to the Daupllin
of France, son of Francis l. The marriage
was performed by Cardinals Wolsey and
Campeggo, the bridegroom being 8
months old and the bride year and 10
months old.--Boston. Globe.
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