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Rings are an ancient part of human civilization. The some of the oldest

rings to date come from over six thousand years ago in the regions around

the Mediterranean Sea. Rings can send messages in many ways from

broadcasting your relationship status, a display of power, or to sign

documents.

Rings have long been a way to signify a person's relationship status.

The Claddagh ring is a style of ring that originated in 17th century Ireland

that is a particularly interesting example. Based on earlier designs. The

Claddagh ring is named for the Irish fishing village of Claddagh. A traditional

Claddagh ring has three main components each signifying different things.

The centerpiece being a heart signifying love, this heart has a crown above it

meaning loyalty, and finally, they are both held in a pair of hands

representing friendship. How and where the ring is worn can tell you a lot

about the person wearing it. The hand and orientation of the ring send a

message about the wearer. Essentially it would tell people your relationship

status not unlike Facebook. When worn on the left hand it would say your

either married or engaged, on the right it would convey if you were in a

relationship or looking for one dependent on how the direction of the heart

was pointed in. Another ring that is commonly used to send a message about

one's relationship status is the traditional engagement ring. This tradition

is relatively young in comparison to the Claddagh ring as the modern version

of this was a marketing trick from the late forties used to popularize the use

of diamonds in engagement rings, and it stuck. Engagement rings

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themselves are a fairly long standing tradition that can be traced back to

ancient Rome. The Romans had an interesting version of this tradition. When

someone got engaged, they were given two rings, one of gold to be worn in

public the other iron to be worn around the house. Again like the Claddagh

ring, an engagement ring is usually worn on the left hand. Another ring that

we need to talk about are wedding bands. These rings are also worn on the

left hand, sometimes with the engagement ring sometimes without, this is

more of a matter of personal preference. Styles have changed over the

years, but in recent decades a pair of simple bands of similar looking metals

have become one of the more popular choices.

Rings also can be used to send a different message, one of power. Rings

have been used to show your power and influence for a long time. Two great

examples of this would be Saurons ring in the Lord of the Rings as it is

literally his source of power. The other would be kissing of Don Corleone's

ring in The God Father as an act of submission and respect. This practice of

kissing a ring is a real thing; it is considered an act of submission. These

rings have been a symbol of power going back to ancient times. They were

worn by as a symbol of power and authority. The signet ring is an example of

such a ring. A signet ring usually has a thicker band with a face on the front,

the face may contain a stone, but would always have some crest carved into

it. Signet rings have been around a long time, some examples being

thousands of years old. They are even referenced in the Bible. What exactly

is a signet ring? Well, the word signet comes from the medieval Latin word

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signetum and that word comes from the Latin word Signum which means

token or seal. A signet ring was used as a way to give a document

authenticity; it could be used as a signature on official documents. A signet

ring was typically used by pressing the face of the ring into a soft material to

leave an indentation of the rings design. This was usually a clay or hot wax.

This seal was then considered as good as your signature and occasionally

would literally leave your name imprinted. A signet ring can worn on

whatever finger one wants, though a popular choice is your nondominant

pinky for ease of access. The signet ring is an example of how a ring can

send a message about the power of the person who owns it.

A more common message that can be sent by a ring is one of affiliation.

Some clubs give rings to their members, as a way for members to identify

each other like a fraternity ring, class ring, or the more exclusive super bowl

ring. These rings all stand out and say you are a member of a group and are

visible to anyone who knows what to look for.

There is another message of power that can be conveyed by any ring,

Wealth. The style of a ring can send messages about your position and

marital status. The material the ring is made of can send a powerful message

about who you are, and your families wealth. The metal of the band brass,

silver and gold all send a message. The stone set into the ring can further

call attention to the wealth of the wearer. The size and quality of the stone

can say a lot about your wealth. It is a trope that a poor man will have a tiny

low-quality diamond on the engagement ring he is offering to his beloved.

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Beyond that the craftsmanship can say a lot about wealth as well, an

intricate affair or a simple band can say a lot depending on the execution.

For such a simple the act of putting a decorative band of metal on a finger

it says a lot about you. Rings send messages, a ring or lack thereof on a

finger can speak volumes to those around you. It is funny how at a basic

level this simple accessory can say so much more about your life than what

it says on the band.