The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Wedding Ring

Women wearing wedding rings goes back to barbaric times when
wives were treated by their husbands a little better than slaves.
The custom was to fasten a chain on a slave as a mark of ownership,
and often married women were forced to wear a chain around their
neck.
Later men realized women were helpmates and the custom of treating
them like slaves gradually ceased, but men still wished to show
visible possession of a wife. This took the form of a ring on the
finger of the wife's left hand, which is nearer the heart.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 02-02-1992