Thumb Ring Meaning
Wearing rings of different types is considered as a fashion statement and is popular among people all over the world. Thumb rings are the latest jewelry fad these days. As the name suggests, it is a ring worn in either of the two thumbs, by both men as well as women. One may not be aware, but, wearing a thumb ring is quite an ancient custom and there are several references to prove this.
Thumb Ring Significance
Adorning oneself with these rings has different meaning all over the world. They range from being a fashion statement to being a status symbol, etc. Let us take a look at the different meanings of thumb ring from past to the present.
Status Symbol
In ancient times, the most important thumb rings significance was that it was used as a status symbol and worn only by men. The higher the rank, the more elaborate and heavy was the ring. Usually, women did not wear a thumb ring. But, they donned the ring of their husbands as a memory, if they were killed on the battlefield. Similarly, in some parts of the world, thumb rings signified military status or rank.
Profession
A thumb ring is basically used to protect the thumb during archery. It was used for the same purpose in ancient and medieval times. Rings used for archery were large in size. On the other hand, in Europe, it was a tradition for doctors to wear a thumb ring. In certain parts of the world, it was even believed that a woman wearing a ring in her right thumb signified that she was open to sexual relationships.
Expression of Thought
In modern times, these rings signify liberty and emancipation. They also stand for the virtues associated with liberty, like courage and strength. Wearing a ring in left thumb stands for hope, faith and trust; whereas, wearing a right thumb ring symbolizes intellect, rationality and logic. Couples are also found to wear thumb rings to pledge love, duty and responsibility.
Sexual Orientation
Another peculiar symbolism is the determination of the wearer's sexual orientation. There is a queer belief in some parts of the world, that a thumb ring is worn only by homosexuals, i.e., wearing this ring means the wearer is in a same-sex relationship. On the other hand, in other parts of the world , it is believed that wearing a left thumb ring means that the person is in a relationship or is open to a relationship; whereas, wearing a ring in right thumb means he is single.
Due to several beliefs and hearsay, it may seem difficult to decide whether to wear a thumb ring or not. You can leave aside the meanings and wear it for the sake of fashion, or for the expression of thought. As there is a great variety of thumb ring patterns and designs available, you will surely want to flaunt one! You can get rings of gold, platinum, metal or even plastic, in different price ranges. Engraved metallic rings are more popular among the youth. Although the meanings keep on changing, thumb rings are never outdated.
Therefore, we can see that significance of thumb ring is found in nearly all fields of life and society. You can either have a thumb ring for expressing any of the aforementioned thoughts or, simply put the meanings aside and wear it as a fashion symbol!
