The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-13
THE FIRST RINGS
Signet Ring of the Greeks-Mourn-
 ing and Thumb Rings

In the tombs Of ancient Egypt tho earliest rings known to history are found. The finest and most costly are of pure gold and of simple design, but very massive, while the name of the owner is deeply cut on an obong gold bezel.
 The lower classes had rings of silver. glass, bronze or even clay with glazed surface, the inscriptions on the last being very often impressed while the clay was still moist. Other rings have been found made of ivory, comedian and amber. Un- der the later dynasties a scarab was used in place of the beze1, which was so mounted as to allow 1t to revolve.
 Signet rings were greatly in favor among the Greeks and were set as a rule with engraved gems. In Sparta & curious law was passed which forbade the use of any metal other than iron in their composition, says the London Globev but this law applied to Sparta only. There is now in the British museum an Etru- rian ring which is formed of two min- utely modelled lions whose bodies make the hoop, their paws holding scarab engraved with lion.
 In Rome ambassadors were the first allowed to wear rings of gold, and then they might only be worn on state occa- sons. Next senators. consuls and equities had the honor conferred upon them, and so on until at length Justinian withdrew in it's entirely tie just annuil aurei. Many fine examples of episcopal rings are in existence, owing to the custom of burying these rings with their owners. xxrifb emnity upon the newly-made bishop at the same time as the crozier, and the
 Pontifical had formula inserted espe- cially for this ceremony. This ring was worn over the bishops glove, generally on the forefinger of the right hand, but in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
 bishops not infrequently wore several rings on the right hand, as we'll as large
 jewel that was fixed in the back of each glove.
 During the Middle Ages cramp rings
 were much worn as a preventative of that
 disease Their healing power was derived | from their being blessed by the king, TOT which a special form of service was used,
 and great many rings were consecra.eu
 at one sand the same time. Although tnis
 idea is a relic of the dark ages 1t fingers | in no uncertain fashion still, TOT tns
 Mizpsh rings of today and others iihu them claim the same virtue ana are soio ] by the gross
 | Posy rings, although of early date. are even yet occasionally met WILL m .he country especially. They are so caiied i hacause of the ..poesy'' engraved upon
 them. usually doggerel verse or else
 some trite saying of the type beloved
 of the sentimental young woli'ah UT Aii l time az "forget-me-not,' and so on.
 Ir tho seventeenth century somewhat
 ,,,nrhid ste in rings was evinced by the cnstop, of wearing memorial or mourning r,rys hearing the name and date of the
 leath of the departed. These were often l of elaborate, design, enamelled in black ana white, and pleasantly suggestive
 ring Of this type. at one time very pop
 ular was formed of two skeletons bent
 which the name and date was engraved. Thumb rings. which must have been very ungainly and ugly, were worn from the fourteenth to the seventeenth cen ] tury, and in Henry Iv' Falstaff boasts that in his youth he was slim enough to i "creep into any alderman's thumb ring" | While it Is probable that rings were originally worn as mere ornaments, they weie at an early stage of civilization 1 converted into articles of use. When l few cou.d read and fewer still could write, it was necessary for thefe to be l some riivate seal attached to documents as proof of their authenticity and for this .Iurpoee ring was worn on the bezea of which the name. the title of the hiero-
 Glyrh oi the owner was engraved.