Liz Bailey

Rings are often used as symbols to represent love, marriage, and fidelity. These circular bands can be made of metal, gemstones, or other materials.  Often, they are carved out of precious metals. They are usually worn as jewelry or as symbols of high status or fidelity. Rings can be worn on the fingers, toes, ears, or even through the nose. They have been used since ancient times. Some people also wear them as ornaments.

Egyptian Pharaohs

It was the Egyptian pharaohs who first used rings to represent eternity and the eternal cycle of things. That’s because a circle has no beginning and no end, and reflects the shape of the sun and the moon, which the Egyptians worshipped. The Egyptians also thought that the open space in the middle of a ring represented a gateway to the unknown and could open a passage to the unknown. Many rings were engraved with an inscription or a seal. Akhenaten tried to focus Egyptian religion on the sun disc. His efforts failed, however, and his reign came to an end.

Romans

Early Romans also adopted the custom of giving wedding rings. They began to carve portraits into the rings. At the time, only married men were allowed to wear rings. This practice was later extended to knights and equites.

Greeks

In ancient Greece, wedding rings were often adorned with the god of love, Cupid. Other popular motifs were snakes, which are associated with renewal and health. Queen Victoria’s engagement ring was a gold snake.

Rings as Protection

By the end of the 2nd century CE, most rings were made of gold. Iron rings were also common. They were sometimes adorned with key motifs. During the Hellenistic period, bezels became incorporated into the rings to hold individual stones. A bezel was usually flat, but some were designed to hold an ornament or other valuable keepsake.

Rings have also been used as talismans and other occult items. Throughout the ages, they have been used to protect individuals from evil, to promote fidelity, and to represent a vow of marriage. During the 19th and 20th centuries, they were also favored by the Art Deco movement, which emphasized the natural world, the romantic, and eroticized women.

Commemoration

In the 21st century, rings are still worn to commemorate special events. For example, many couples wear birthstone rings to indicate the month of their birth. Others use a ring to mark the anniversary of their wedding. There are also novelty ring designs that change colour in response to the body temperature. Some people wear the rings of a parent has died, to commemorate them, while others have their dead parent’s ring melted and made into a different item.

Rings

While it is possible to make a ring with almost any hard material, rings are typically made of metal. They are round or semi-circular in shape, and may have a cross-section or a square.

Fine-quality modern rings are made from precious metals, such as gold, silver, or platinum. They are worn as symbols of fidelity and betrothal, as well as for simple adornment. They may also have geometric or etched designs. Fun rings may be made from less precious metals, so they can be changed around more often, possibly to match an outfit or to make a fashion statement.

Anxiety

Rings are small and easy to wear. They are also easily accessible because they are (usually) worn on the hand: this makes them ideal for creating an item that can help unobtrusively with anxiety. Twiddle rings or anti-anxiety rings are made to provide something to fiddle with. They may have coloured stones or small balls that can be moved around on a metal spiral. Moving the ring, or the stones on it can help people deal with situations that normally cause them anxiety, without being noticed by others around.

There is so much more to rings than meets the eye isn’t there. Do you wear rings? I am currently creating swirl rings.