One should know that historical significance of engagement rings is like that of the Schrodinger’s Cat. Some believe it to be significant while others believe it to be insignificant. So whenever one thinks of engagement rings he or she should know what message it conveys and what one is doing by buying engagement rings. Now the question comes how much attention would one give to the engagement rings. If you think a lot then you should know the history of the engagement rings.

Belief of the ancestors

Much before these engagement rings or rather a part of any jewelry was seen in the ancestor’s wardrobe of the caveman. They had the concept of presenting a small totem to his lady-love during marriage. At that time men were generally the hunters or gatherers in the society. The historians or archaeologists believe two things on this occasion. It was impractical to use any tool-like sharp weapon as symbolic or decorative. It was definite that they did not use any diamond engagement rings.

Middle Ages

After that some four thousand or five thousand years later came down the Middle Ages. It was then illegal for doctors to touch the body. At that time medicine was the work of speculation or guesswork. The belief which ran was very popular was that a vein was directly connected to heart. It was out of this popular reason why they used to slide a ring on the third finger on the left hand. The process of having engagement ring developed from that belief.

Practice of engagement rings or wedding rings

That sliding of the ring indicated that someone was in love with somebody. However there were not affordable engagement rings in those days. But people had every reason to slide some unique rings on the lady-love’s left finger. From those days onwards the concept of some unique engagement or wedding ring ran in the society. Some did not use engagement rings but put wedding rings straight to the finger.

The introduction of the engagement rings did not take place till another few hundred years later. This same culture started by the upper classes and the wealthy residents of Greenwich Village. They revived the culture of presenting the engagement rings to the lady-love. Not very costly ones they used simple rings. Perhaps a stone on the ring was sufficient. It was not diamond then. Until 1940 there was no diamond till the different cuts and shapes of diamonds have been developed as the engagement rings.