Throughout history, a lot has been written about rings and around wedding rings there have always been a number of myths and superstitions that have given more power to the bond between couples.

Even if you are a superstitious person or not, we thought to collect the most interesting stories about rings and wedding rings. Who knows, maybe you find yourself in some superstition. And anyway, better to respect some of them than to…

1. The first wedding rings

According to historical data, provided by ancient papyri that have been preserved in optimal conditions even today, the oldest wedding rings date back more than 6,000 years. They were made of woven hemp or rushes, and breaking or losing the wedding rings was believed to place a powerful curse on the couple.

2. Message rings

Although the technology was not very developed, texts engraved on silver wedding rings appeared as early as the Renaissance period. Despite the effort, the jewelers of the time managed to engrave even small poems on some rings, hence the name Poetic Rings. Engraved texts had great spiritual power over lovers.

3. Wedding rings in the penitentiary

Despite the fact that no outside objects are allowed, most penitentiaries allow inmates to keep their wedding rings. It is believed that this makes them think more about what they have left behind and that they will not repeat the things that caused the condemnation.

4. The power of the ring for pregnant mothers

A famous superstition says that if a pregnant woman holds a ring tied with a string above her belly and moves it, she can tell if she will have a girl or a boy. If the ring moves in a straight line, it is a sign that it will be a boy, the circular movement being a clear sign that she is about to give birth to a girl.

5. How many years do you have until the wedding?

Single women can find out how long they have to wait until the wedding. All they have to do is tie a ring to one of their hair and dangle it inside a glass. As many times as the ring hits the walls of the glass, without it moving the thread, that's how many years he has to wait until the wedding.

6. Why on the left hand?

You may have wondered why the ring is worn on the left hand. The Egyptians believed that a very special vein of blood ran from the ring finger to the heart. Medicine has proven that this vein does not exist, but the tradition has survived to this day.

Read also: Guide to buying an engagement ring - part 1

7. What happens if you drop your wedding ring?

If you happen to drop your wedding ring during the ceremony... that's okay. Or bath. It depends on how you want to interpret the gesture. Some believe that this is how to get rid of problems in the relationship, others that it is a clear sign that it will not go well in marriage.

8. Wedding bands for both of you

Until the 20th century only women wore wedding rings, a sign of their devotion to men. In the last 100 years men also started wearing wedding rings, all culminating with the two world wars, the wedding rings having motivational symbolism for the men who went to the front.

9. Crisis rings

During the wars, when gold was rationed, gold wedding rings of up to 9 carats were worn. Some couples wore plain metal wedding rings.

10. Trying on the ring before the wedding

Since ancient times, it is believed that trying on a wedding ring before the wedding brings bad luck. For superstitious people, trying on another ring of a similar size is recommended.

11. Engagement bracelets?

Not all people opt for rings when it comes to weddings and engagements. Depending on the culture, the jewelry used also changes. In some parts of India, married women wear a special bracelet, and in the Hindu religion, they also opt for a ring worn on the toe.

12. Wedding cake pulled through the ring

In some cultures, there is this superstition that a small piece of the wedding cake is slipped through the bride and groom's wedding rings and given to the unmarried young people. Once this ritual is performed, the singles will have their own wedding in less than a year.

13. The "romanticism" of yesteryear

Despite today's romantic symbolism, in ancient times most wedding rings and engagement rings had a purely transactional function, and giving a ring didn't mean "I love you" but "I clapped, you're mine."

14. Ring too tight? Too wide?

If the groom did not take the correct measurements and on the wedding day it is found that the ring is too tight, it is not a good sign: one of them is jealous, and the other is too stubborn. It remains for them to find out which is which. If the ring is too wide, it's still not good. A wide ring symbolizes an even greater danger: losing the ring , the relationship and implicitly the love relationship.

15. Don't lose the ring

Whatever you do, don't lose the ring. In most societies it is considered a gesture that irreparably damages the relationship. It's a small step from losing your relationship to losing your partner. In 1893 a woman in London committed suicide after losing her wedding ring and feeling guilty that she would also lose her husband.

16. How much gold?

In the United States alone, 17 tons of gold are used annually for wedding rings. Compared to all the couples in the world, it means that impressive amounts of gold are used each year. Some believe that the happiness of a people is directly proportional to the number of gold wedding rings produced. Where is Romania?

17. Healing powers

For many people wedding rings also have healing properties. Since ancient times, it was believed that if you put a wedding ring over a painful area, you will heal in the shortest time.