Traditions of Courtship and Marriage
A
Definition of Marriage
According to the great authority on the
subject, Professor Westermarck, author of The History of Human Marriage, -
marriage has developed out of primordial habit - the habit of a man and a
woman to live together, to have offspring and to rear them on common.
The man became the protector and supporter of
the family, the woman his helpmate and nurse to their children.
This habit in time became sanctioned by custom
and eventually by law and thus was transformed into a social institution.
Higher in the social order, this eventually
transpired to an established condition wherein marriage means something more
than sexual congress. In this order, man and wife maintain a household
together. They have communal goods and there is a common interest and
responsibility in the care of children.
It is upon this basis that there has developed
the system of monogamous marriage now prevalent throughout the modern world.
Origin
of the word "Wedding".
In the early days of the Anglo Saxons ,children
were betrothed by their parents. The bridegroom's pledge of marriage was
accompanied by a security or "wed" furnished by the father of the
groom. Thus originated the term wedding, or pledging of the troth of the bride
to the man who secured her by purchase.
The
"Diamond Ring".
With the development of the artistic crafts,
the enhancement of aesthetic taste and the greater commercial facility in
transporting objects of value about the world, it was only natural that the
betrothal ring should be ornamented by precious stones.
An ancient custom among the common people was
to break a piece of "gold or silver" to seal the marriage pact. One
half of the token was kept by the man, the other by the woman.
Bracelets of human hair and strands of human
hair curled into a circle and placed into a love-locket have also been used in
a contract of betrothal.
All the well known precious gems have been
used, but it is significant that the diamond and especially the solitaire, has
come to be generally accepted as the ideal engagement ring, most highly prized
by the modern maiden.
There is an ancient superstition that the
"sparkle of the diamond " originated in the alchemistic fires of
love!
The
"Wedding Ring"
The earliest record of the wedding ring appears
in Egyptian literature. The idea fitted in with Egyptian thought, as in
hieroglyphics, the circle represents eternity. By applying the name to a plain
band or circle for the finger, marriage was thus identified with a tie through
eternity.
The use of the wedding ring among Christians
has been traced back to the year 860. It is said that when a marriage
settlement had been properly sealed, rings bearing the names of the newly
married couple were passed around for inspection amongst the guests.
Marriage rings have been made from a great
variety of materials, such as gold, silver, iron, steel and bronze. Wood, rush
and leather have also been used.
The
Ring Finger
From the earliest times, the right hand has
symbolized power and authority; the left hand, subjection.
The particular digit upon which the ring is
worn, the fourth finger, once had special significance. It was thought in
ancient times that a certain vein or nerve in the fourth finger of the left
hand ran directly to that time honoured seat of the affections - the heart. It
is known to be an anatomical fallacy.
-Strange Customs of Courtship and Marriage, By William J Fielding. Souvenir Press, London, 1961
Other Traditions
............
Hope Chest
Kitchen Tea
The Bridal Veil
The Bridal Flowers
The Wedding Cake
The Bride's Maids
The Garter
The Horse Shoe
Something old, something new, something
borrowed and something blue
The Symbolism of Rice
The Honey Moon
To be continued........
