Who Wore the First Wedding Ring?

by Angela Magnotti Andrews Many talk of the very first diamond engagement ring, reportedly worn by Mary of Burgundy in 1477. Said to be a gold ring with the letter 'M' spelled out in small diamonds, this ring was a gift from her husband before their betrothal. But don't you sometimes wonder who wore the first wedding ring? Some say the first wedding rings were made of rushes and reeds, worn by Egyptian wives nearly 5,000 years ago. This is a hard one to prove, as such rings were likely replaced month after month as the materials eroded. According to some, the Romans were the first to claim their wives with a ring, usually one forged of iron, though this practice was borne out of a sense of dominion rather than sentiment. Others believe the Romans were heavily influenced by the practice of the Greeks, who credited Zeus with the construction of the first finger ring for Prometheus, an act of mercy laced with a hint of bondage. Perhaps the most interesting legend comes from ancient Jewish tradition. A somewhat obscure legend places the first wedding ring on the finger of the wife of a descendant of Adam, Israel's first man. According to such stories, Adam's banished son Cain went on to the land of Nod to create his own tribe. Cain's descendants became the smithies, workers of metal, men of science, and creators of art. As such, it was believed that Cain's son, Tubal-Cain, was a master in the working of metal ore, including iron. It was under his designer's eye that the first ring was forged of iron. Not quite sure what to do with it, Tubal-Cain is said to have brought the ring to Adam. Following the sage man's advice, Tubal-Cain gave the ring to his son with instruction to procure with it a wife.

Notes

1. _______. "Rings and Their History," The Illustrated American, June 20, 1891, pp. 213-215.
2. Chambers, William and Robert Chambers. "The Ring of Rings," Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science and Arts. London & Edinburgh: W. & R. Chambers, 1872.
3. Steiner, Rudolf. "The Temple Legend--Freemasonry & Related Occult Movements." London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1985.
4. Wikipedia. "Tubal-Cain. Accessed March 26, 2014. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubal-cain.