The tradition of ring giving dates back to Roman times when a ring, symbolising the unending commitment of one person to another, was given to seal a betrothal. Once put on to the finger, it was believed that the ring should only ever be removed in exceptional circumstances. The early Christians incorporated this into the wedding ceremony itself, with the ring becoming the symbol of marriage. The custom of placing the ring on the third finger of the left hand comes from the Roman belief that there was a vein in this finger called the vena amoris which was directly connected to the heart. However, during the Middle Ages some confusion arose as to which hand should be used, as scholars suggested that the vena amoris was actually on the third finger of the right hand. This was finally clarified in 1549 when the Book of Common Prayer declared that the wedding ring should be placed on the left hand. In the 17th century some Puritans were keen to do away with the wedding ring as a sign of vanity and, although they did not succeed, it is likely that the plain style of wedding ring first became accepted then. Another change around this time was that although the ring was placed on the third finger of the left hand during the wedding ceremony, it became stylish to wear it on any finger (usually the thumb) afterwards. However, this practice died out by the 18th century. The custom of having a separate wedding and engagement ring is believed to have made its first appearance during the 19th century. Weddings Index Main Index Click here to Bookmark this site!