The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-07-11
RINGS OF THE ANCIENTS.
STYLES WORN BY THE EGYPTIANS,
ROMANS AND HEBREWS.

Kings Are Regarded Differently NOW
Than Formeriy-worn Not So Much for
Ornament for Their Intrinsic Value.
Some 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 jewelers.
confined themselves almost exclusively
to combinations of valuable stones. 1t
is very ungrateful task to spoil ro-
nance, but cold truth compels the ad-
mission that thisi is 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 diamond pin,
brooch necklace or solitaire ring, be-
cause these articles represent a condensa-
ton of money in small bulk and unde-
probable form. The finest workman
ship on the gold itself goes for nothing.
It is simply ''old gold"-sold by weight.
1t was very different in ''the 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 IA
vored attendants, undoubtedly wore
rings, for quite number of mummies
have been found with dozen finger
rings literally distributed on the eight
fingers, besides the indispensable thumb
rings. For it is a singular fact that for
hundreds of years after the Christian
era the custom still prevailed of wearing
the wedding ring and the 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 the greatest Importance attached to
it, even in the pastoral age. In Gen.
xii, 40, it is stated that pharaoh took
off his ring from his hand and put it
on Joseph's hand" as a signal mark of
favor. In Esth. iii, 10, mention is made
of King Ahasuerus taking his ring from
his hand and giving it to Hannah, and
the context shows that certain written
documents were ''sealed with the kings
ring"
The old time rings were made of all
ssrts of material. Pliny mentions that
iron rings were commonly worn by be-
trothed persons. 1t seems tolerably GER
tain that rings of gold and silver were
worn only by kings, princes and mobiles,
while less expensive circlets of brass,
ivory, iron and porcelain or glass were
worn by the average citizen.
Tho O11ae+ cold Groro,, 49,
actually preserved belonged to ANU
noph Ill, who reigned over Egypt four
teen centuries before Christ was born.
Rings of the date of Osirtasen and Thoth-
mes Ill, who were contemporaries of
Joseph and Moses, have been found, but
they are of common material and doubt
full authenticity. The scarabaeus, a beetle
which formed the Egyptian token of i'm
mortality Grom being a sexuaD is com
mon emblem in Egyptian finger rings,
and one of Poe's most extravaganza ''tales
Of mystery, imagination and humor" has
well established foundation, so far as
the scarabaeus ring is concerned. 1t
seems to be tolerably certain that Egyp-
tian women wore as many rings as they
could crowd on their fingers.
ANTIQUITY OF RINGS.
The Egyptians and Romans undoubt-
eddy preferred the left hand for ring pur-
poses, while Caesar, Livy and Tacitus all
seem to insist that the Gauls 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 number of them have been pre-
served, and they put the art Of the mod
ern jeweler entirely to the blush. The
most beautiful were the pledges of be-
throthal or wedding gifts. The ceremo-
MES in connection with these rings seem
to be foreshadowed in the redemption
process specified in Ruth iv, T. The
workmanship of these Hebrew bethrothal
rings grew still more elaborate in the
Middle Ages, when towers and minarets
of gold were most exquisitely 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 to the third.
The old style ''gemmel" or ''gemmon"
ring evidently associated with the French
juneau jumelle, uncommon, meaning
''twin'O is not at all an object in col
lections of antique rings.
The meaning of the indivisible links is
self evident. Usually at the 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