RINGS. Among primitive races ring adorn ment of the human members is universal and dates back to times. Lip rings (labrets), neck rings (torques, etc.), nose rings, anklets, bracelets, ear rings were worn by the °savages* of the different countries. The Orientals, from time immemorial, have worn rings on their toes; married women wearing them on the big toe of the left foot, men wear ing them on the big, second and third toes. The fingel ring, strange to say, does not figure among the aboriginal adornments of the wild or savage tribes (America, Africa, etc.). The finger ring appears to have originated with the early and was evolved from the seal or signet (about 16 centuries before our era). The intaglio seal affording security and authenticity of ownership was probably car ried strung on a cord until the invention of fastening it in a stirrup-shaped loop. A hole was bored longitudinally and wire passing through this entered holes in the extremities of the loop (see Figs. 1, 2) to be fastened by winding round the latter. Fine specimens of goldsmiths' work in this form are in the Louvre and London museums. The seal being sign of power or authority, it was natural that the wearer of the portable seal (a signet ring) as sumed dignity. In this sense Pharaoh (Gen. xli, 42) invested Joseph with his ring; a ring in the Ashburnham collection, it is claimed, may be this very one (see Fig. 3) as it was found in a mummy case (in the Necropolis of Sakkarah, near Memphis) having hieroglyphics indicating that it contained the body of Joseph. The step from the ring being insignia of au thority to its becoming an article of adornment is a short one, and we find the Egyptian ladies wore finger rings, even several on a single finger; a number of elegant specimens are extant (see Fig. 4). Herodotus(5th century Lc.) tells the story of the ring of Polycrates, tyrant of Samos. Warned that the great wealth and marvelous successes would bring dire visi tations from his enemies in later life if he did not make some great sacrifice to the gods to forefend disaster, be threw his most valued possession, a talismanic ring, into the sea. His cook found it in the belly of a fish and returned it to him. The Greeks, Etruscans and Romans produced lovely finger-rings (see Figs. 5-7). One quite peculiar form of Roman ring has a key attached to it, some specimens have nu merous wards and even the hollow barrel (see Fig. 8) of modern keys. Roman rings are in many decorative forms (see Fig. 9), the be trothal ring (anulus pronubus) being com posed of two rings having oval plates contain ing the engraved names of the betrothed couple (see Fig. 10). Like the rings of the Spartans,
the betrothal ring was made of iron, till Pliny's time. But we have Roman rings made in double, triple, even quintuple form; such were termed polysephi. Mythology records a ring dating back far beyond those above mentioned, for it informs us that, when Jupiter released Prometheus from his agonies on the Caucasian rock, be had to wear on his finger one of the links of his iron chain with a piece of the rock' set in It as reminder of his terrible experience. The first Roman senators wore rings of iron, but when acting as ambassadors a gold one was given them ; later they could all wear gold rings. Next the privilege of wearing a gold ring became so common even the menials wore them and only slaves wore iron rings. When Hannibal's soldiers took the gold rings from the Roman dead after the battle of Cann (216 ac.) they filled, some writers say, three bushel baskets. During the Roman Empire it was a custom to give birthday (anniversary) rings, termed anuls natalitii. The imperial sig net of Constantius (306 AA) is in the Rinu dnnit cabinet at Florence with its 53-carat sapphire engraved with the scene of the em peror spearing a wild boar, etc. Of' Anglo Saxon rings the British Museum (London) con tains that of King Ethelwulf (see 'Fig. 11) and that of Ethelswith, his daughter, queen of Mercia, of the 9th century. Other extant rings of historic interest are: The *Shakespeare ring* (see Fig. 12) supposed to have been given by Anne Hathaway to the poet, which was found in a field at Stratford-on-Avon; the ring said to have beengiven to Henry Darnley (her spouse) by Mary Queen of Scots (see Fig. 13) •, the wedding ring Martin Luther gave to Catherine Bora when he made her his wife (see Fig. 14), it is what is known as a *Pas sion* ring, carrying the symbols of the Passion. The wedding ring of the Romans was a signet ring and conveyed the meaning that it was the wife's right to seal up the property of the household; it, sometimes, had 'a small key at tached. It was placed on the fourth finger in early Roman days; the index finger was re garded by the Jews as the hallowed finger and bore the marriage ring; in the days of ((Queen Bess* of England the ring, after betrothal, was worn on the thumb. The betrothal ring in Britain became the wedding ring about the time of the Reformation.