San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-02-13
TIE Daily EiqGt
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1897.
AN ODD WEDDING RING.
A Roman Bronze with Keys Attached Ac-
cording to the Custom of the Period.

cording to the Custom of the Period.
A curious and interesting wedding
ring has recently been placed in the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it
embodies an idea which some fashion
able jewelers. are thinking of copying
in modern jewelry. 1t is a Roman
ring of bronze, and attached to it is
a small bunch of keys. In the British
museum there is similar ring made
of gold.
These rings are supposed to have
been given at the time of the wedding,
in addition to a regular wedding ring,
and the keys in many instances were
actual keys, which fitted the locks of
jewel cases and other small caskets.
At Roman wedding the keys of the
house were delivered to the bride at
the same time the wedding ring was
placed on her finger. }
1t is an interesting fact that as far
back as antiquarians can trace the
wedding ring it was always placed on
the fourth finger. Some ancient manu-
scripts recently discovered explain the
origin of this custom by the statement
that n nerve was supposed to reach
from this finger to the heart. The
placing of the wedding ring upon the
fourth finger of the bride signifed the
transfer of property.
The engagement ring of the Egyp-
tians was placed upon the finger of
the BRIDE at a. feast given by the
hrilnprpNy,, 81 = H., IL
day was fixed for the wedding. Con-
trary to the custom of the present day,
when the engagement ring may cost
many thousands of dollars, the be-
trothal ring of the Egyptians was of
iron. This indicates the mutual sacri-
fee of liberty.
Instead of a gem, the ancient engage
ment ring contained lodestone, which
symbolized the force of attraction that
was drawing the maiden out of her
own family into another. 1t was not
until the ninth century that marriage
rings were used by Christians, although
the Hebrews had been using wedding
rings from the earliest times, some fine
specimens of which are to be seen in
the museums of this country. The
Jewish rings were inscribed Mazal lob,
signifying good fortune.
A curious custom was that of the
Anglo-Saxons, among whom the bride
groom placed ring on the maiden's
right hand, where it remained until,
at the marriage, it was transferred to
her left hand. An extraordinary Gus
tom of English women was to wear the
wedding ring upon the thumb.
This prevailed during the time of
Queen Elizabeth, of whom there are
many portraits extant showing rings
upon her thumbs. AS late as the reign
of George III. it was a custom in Eng
land for brides to remove the ring from
its proper place to the thumb as soon
as the ceremony was over.
It is dangerous thing for Spanish
lover to present lady with ring I'M
less he desires soon to marry her. The
Spanish courts have over and over
again held that such present was the
same as a betrothal, and that ring
which had been presented by a man
is sufficient evidence of an engagement
having existed between them.
Spanish brides have deep supersti-
ton against removing the wedding
ring from the finger after ii had once
been placed there. The only occasion
upon which they can be induced to do
this is when guests at the wedding feast
desire to pass pieces of the wedding
cake nine times through the ring.
These pieces of cake are afteTward
taken home to be put under pillows,
and the young girl who does this is
supposed to dream of her future hus-
band.-Chicago Journal.