As a child when you are taught about the five fingers on your hand they are often referred to as the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger. As you start growing up and understanding the usage of each of the fingers, the tradition of using the fourth finger as the ring finger also becomes clearer. But have you ever thought why the fourth finger is the preferred one to wear the ring? The answer might be hidden in centuries and civilizations older than you think.
The answer to this simple question lies in the historical and social followings among the ancient Egyptian civilisation. It is said that the tradition of sealing the marriage through a ring started off in Egypt. They believed that the vena amoris of the vein of love ran through the fourth finger of the left hand and straight into the heart. Thus, they started wearing wedding rings on the left hand. Another explanation is this that according to human anatomy, the heart is situated closer to the left side of the body than the right side. Thus, the vein existing and joining the heart and the finger from the left side suddenly made more sense than ever. Over time, this tradition was adopted by the Greeks and the Romans too. However, today, with scientific developments one understands that there is no such thing as the vein of love. But it is still a much loved tradition that exists, one which people refuge to let go of.
However, with evolving time, notions and personal comfort, many people prefer to not wear the ring on the left hand. That is a completely personal choice. Many opt to wear it on the fourth finger of the right hand, or a different finger altogether and some prefer to wear it during the ceremony and not thereafter. All of these are personal choice and doesn’t restrict the face value of this tradition.
So, now when you see the ring going inside the fourth finger of your left hand, you know the secret behind it!
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