In studying the paganism of the ancient Slavs, in elucidating the roots and depths of folk memory during the first millennium AD, academician archaeologist B. A. Rybakov investigated the emergence of religious and mythological ideas. He carefully studied folk charms, and paganism in urban life, as well as rituals and festivities. Slavic wedding rings he described very briefly. Although the rings found in the graves are given some space.
What were the real rings?
According to Academician B. A. Rybakov, the idea of the macrocosm, which should protect the girl’s microcosm, is advocated on these smallest jewelry. The wedding symbolism, which is applied to the Slavic wedding rings, is three crosses or three suns, or two crosses and the sun in the middle. This technique shows the movement of the celestial luminary from dawn to midday and from noon, its highest point (which was worshiped by the Gentiles), to sunset. These were wedding rings with Slavic symbols found in graves. The more venerable scientist does not say anything about rings.
Here is a photograph of real Slavic rings of the 13-19th centuries.
Wedding charms of ancient Slavs
The most complete set of amulets B. A. Rybakov describes as follows:
- A calmly sitting bird (located in a nest?).
- Two spoons.
- Sawtooth object (jaws of a predator).
- Key.
Their meaning is this: a bird makes a family nest, spoons intended for a couple express a desire to be full, and if it is wider, it means well-being in general. The symbolism of the key is the safety of family property. The jaw of a predator is an ancient amulet that drives away all evil from a person. Slavic wedding rings with a wedding specialist are not mentioned to the scientist. The term wedding is missing in his two-volume study. We have to come to the conclusion that this is a mythology created in our time. She, of course, is beautiful, but actually quite far from the truth.
21st Century Mythology
The lack of faith - fluctuations from monotheism to polytheism - is replaced today by the creation of marvelous tales. This does not mean that they should not exist. Let them be, but treating them seriously is the height of naivety. So are Slavic wedding rings. Let them exist.
Jewelers make them exceptionally beautiful, patterned. And if we recall Buddhism, then it assumes that each person exists in his own world. And if he believes in him, then that means he has a place. If you believe in Slavic wedding rings as amulets, then perhaps they will become them. This is similar to the placebo effect. We drink, as we were told, a medicine, but in fact something is useless, but it works, and a person feels better for some time.
What do current fairy tales say?
Modern creators of myths have a rich imagination, certain information on the history that they turn out as they want, and knowledge of archetypes according to Jung. Therefore, in their tales it is difficult to distinguish truth and harmless invention. For example, they write that patterns were not applied to Slavic wedding rings. Wedding - a special symbol - a powerful amulet. It was required to preserve love (and in ancient times, love marriages, we recall, were rare, they were mainly based on convenience), and the interaction of childbirth, and harmony in a marriage. Here's a photo of you - a ring with a wedding, consisting of open eights.
The number eight resembles the sign of infinity, which, according to the authors, should mean the immutability of the ongoing processes. But the lack of change is stagnation and stagnation. Is it good? Should young people not be active, energetic and open to changes that actively influence the surrounding reality? In other words, to promote progress and own development.
What else can be found in myths?
Some offer to give Slavic wedding rings to single people raising children in order to preserve family energy. Other authors, on the contrary, are categorically against such a gift, since a person will be forever alone, a person should not unite with loneliness. The question is simply what you yourself will believe in, what kind of world you will create for yourself after such a wedding present.
This leads to the simplest thought - "yes, fairy tales are all!". Such rings and the wedding themselves do not represent anything significant, but only reveal our subconscious.
Conclusion
You can and should give beautiful wedding rings with and without symbols. But to attach great importance to this is not worth it. The main thing is a pure and good relationship, an internal connection, which in the family is united by a single goal. Then life will proceed quite harmoniously.