Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-08-17
FOR FAIR FINGERS
Rings Have Not Always Been Used
ONLY For Ornament,
Regarded as of Grent Importnnce-In
Earlier Days They woro Regarded
ms n symbol OF Authoriiy-Mado of
MANY Editorials.
est. Louis Globe. Democrat.)

IL
The woman who carelessly toys with
the gemmed bands upon her fingers to.
day. delighting only in the glitter OF
the facetcd stones or the fairness OF
their color imparts to her hands. is,
perhaps, totally ignorant of the import
ant place rings have held in small and
great affairs from time TO time since
civilization began.
And he sealed 1t with his seal" does
not now mean the impression made
with peculiar and personal ring
something not transferable. held sacred
and indivldual-but a mechanical die
worked with lever, and secondary Ia
many considerations in Importance.
Not so were the seal rings of by-sone
ages The signet of the king, the pope
or any great dignitary was guarded
carefully, It's impression carrying all
the weight Of personal command. and
regarded as quite infallible. The use
or stgnet rings as symbols of great res
pect and authority is mentioned in sew
eral parts of the Scriptures, from which
1t would seem that they were then com
mon among persons of rank In Gene
sis We find that Joseph had conferred
upon him the royal signet as an insig-
MIA OF authority. Thus Ahasuerus
transferred his authority to Hannah.
The ring was also used as a pledge for
the performance of a promise Darius
sealed with his ring the mouth of the
den of lions. Queen Jezebel. to DESTROY
| Naboth. mnde use of the ring of Ahab
king of the 1sraelites. her husband. tc
seal the counterfeit letters ordering the
death of that unfortunate man.
The earliest material of which rincs
We're made was pure gold. the metal
usually very thin. The Israelitish PEG
PIE wore not only the rings on their
fingers. but also in their nostrils an6
ears. Apropos of this custom, reaching
down to later date. Mr. Layard. ir
"Ninevah and Its Remains" describes
the wife of an Arab shiekh whom he
met as having n nose adorned with :,
prodigious gold ring. set with jewels ot
such ample dimensions that II covered
her mouth. and she was obliged to re.
move it when she ate
NOT ALL TO BE WORN.
We are not to assume. however. tina
all ancient seals. being signets. were
rings intended to be worn on the hand
one OF the largest Egyptian sisne.s
nave seem" remarks Sir J. G.. Wilkin.
son. was in the possession of a French
gentleman of Cairo. 1t contained CO.
tslOO, worth Of gold. 1t consisted of a
''t't>' man all illtIl III It's largest
diameter. bearing an oblong plinth. or
which the devices were engraved. Or
one side was the name If n king. thf
successor OF Amuneph Ill. who lived
about 400 years before Christ: on the
other side lion. with the legend Lord
or strength, referring to the monarch
on one side scorpion. and on the other
crocodile. This ring passed into the
Waterton Dactyliotheca. and is now the
property of the South Kensngton Mu.
scum"
Rings of inferior metal. engraved
with the kings name. NAV probably
have been worn by officials of Tho
court
In Rome every freedman had the
right 10 use the iron ring. but the use
Of gold ring was restricted for many
years 10 persons OF dignity. or those
whose wealth exceeded certain sums
In the course of time it became Gus
tomary for all the Senator'S. chief mag
istrates and the equities to wear
gold seal ring. This practice. which
was Subsequently termed the jus an
null urei. or the jus annulorum. re-
manned for several centuries at Rom,
their exclusive privilege. while Others
continued to wear the iron ring.
The keeping of The imperial rims
(cura arnulD has confded TO n stat.
keeper. IS the great seal of England Is