The ring, no beginning, no end, the symbol of marriage and promise.  Throughout the centuries, rings have had various uses.  One use was seal rings, the rings would have the family crest or a symbol representing the family.  These would have been used to seal letters or make your mark showing what family you belonged to.  Another use was a sign of nobility.  But the very best use is as a sign of love in either a promise ring, engagement or wedding ring.

There are only two languages I know.  The first is the widow symbol.  A widow would switch her wedding set from her ring finger to her middle finger.  A tradition that has continued at least into the mid 20th century.  The one which is the most familiar is the Irish wedding ring.  The Claddagh ring, better known as the Irish wedding band, has two legends behind it.  The first is:
Margaret Joyce married a wealthy Spanish merchant who traded with Galway.  When he died, he left her a great fortune.  She returned to Galway and used her fortune to build bridges from Galway to Sligo.  She was rewarded for her good works when an eagle dropped the original Claddagh ring into her lap.

My personal favorite is the following from the sixteenth century:
A fishing boat from the village of Claddagh was captured by Algerian pirates and the Irish crew, including a sailor named Richard Joyce, were sold into slavery.  Richard, who was to be married the same week he was taken captive, was sold to a wealthy Moorish goldsmith who taught him the trade.  Unable to put his fiancée out of his mind, Richard designed a wedding ring with special significance for her.  A heart topped by a crown and held by two hands.  Eventually Richard escaped and returned to Ireland.  When he arrived, he found that his girl had never married.  They were wed and the wedding band he gave her was the one he designed and made while he was a slave.

Over the years the ring has taken on more significance.  Claddagh rings worn primarily by women has meanings on the way it is worn.  If the ring is on the right hand with the heart pointing out toward the fingers means the wearer's heart is uncommitted.  Worn on the right hand with the heart pointing inward means that the wearer's heart is taken.  Worn on the left hand with the heart pointing inward means let love and friendship reign forever, never to be separated.

Another interesting fact about the Claddagh rings is the hands mean friendship, the crown-loyalty, and the heart- love.
Crested rings had a significant role.  Eight hundred and fifty years ago heraldry began in Europe.  A very necessary means of instant recognition to distinguish friend from foe on the battlefield.  These symbols were carried on armor and shields and became objects of family pride borne on clothing and jewelry.

I also found an interesting piece of history,  It seems the tradition of loved one's hair came from Ireland also.  Back in Irish history it was a custom for the man to give the lady he wanted to marry a bracelet woven of human hair.  Her acceptance of the bracelet was also an acceptance of the man, linking the two for life.  Strands of hair curled into a circle, known as love lockets, was also a custom handed down to modern times.  The circle of the bracelet and the round strand of hair symbolizes a union linked together forever just as with the wedding band.  I believe this is where the idea of mourning jewelry made of loved one's hair came from.  The wanting of keeping some part of the loved one near.

There are other wonderful traditions and stories or legends at http://www.hylit.com/info/wedding/ring.html  I hope that you found these as interesting as I have.  I had always wanted to learn the wearings of the Claddagh ring, since learning the legend of the separated lovers years ago.  It is truly a romantic story and a beautiful ring.

Thanks goes out to the person who suggested this article.  I loved learning the historical facts (at the website) that I was not familiar with.  That is what I love about reenacting, there is always more to learn.

Fredricka