The History of the Marriage Ring

It is said that Pope Innocent the Third was the first who ordained the celebration of marriage in the church; before which, it was totally a civil contract; hence arose dispensations, licenses, faculties and other remnants of papal benefit. Shelford observes it came with the Council of Trent. The Council sat within the Bishopric of Trent, Germany, from the year 1545 to 1563.

But the ring was used in connection with marriage before Catholic times. The Greeks had it. We find from Juvenal that the Romans employed the ring. There was commonly a feast on the signing of the marriage contract; and the man gave the woman a ring (annulus pronubus) by way of pledge, which she put upon her left hand, on the finger next the least: because of the suggested nerve running to the heart. The ring was generally of iron, though sometimes of copper and brass, with little knobs in the form of a key (see image), to represent that the wife had possession of the husband's keys. Roman keys attached to a ring for the finger are not uncommon. The ring is at right angles to the axle and, therefore, it could only be used for a lock which required very little strength to turn it or as a latchkey. It may be a question, whether these were not rings used on marriages?

Maffei gives a gem, upon which is engraved only the two Greek words AOANACI IIICTIC, in English, Faith immortal, which he considers as intended to be set in a betrothal ring--in some one of those rings which lovers gave to their beloved, with protestations of eternal constancy, as a tacit promise of matrimony. Some Roman nuptial rings had inscriptions, as Ama me; Amo te; Bonam vitam, etc. Among other rings found at Pompeii were some which are considered to have been wedding-rings. One, of gold, picked up in Diomed's house, had a device representing a man and woman joining hands. Another, was a double gold ring, in which two small green stones were set. There is no evidence that the ring was used by the Egyptians at a marriage.