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Vena amoris is a Latin name meaning, literally, "vein of love." It describes a special blood vein that was once believed to flow directly from the fourth finger of the left hand to the heart. [1] This belief has been cited in Western cultures as one of the reasons the engagement ring and/or wedding ring was placed on the fourth finger, or "ring finger".
While science now accepts that all blood veins flow to the heart, this was not understood at the time and would not be proven until the 17th century by the physician William Harvey. [2]
The earliest known occurrence of the phrase vena amoris was from Henry Swinburne, an English ecclesiastical lawyer whose work covering marriage, "A Treatise of Espousal or Matrimonial Contracts", was published posthumously in 1686. Swinburne identifies the vena amoris as a vein of blood passing to the heart, found in the fourth finger of the left hand. He states that a wedding ring on that finger signifies that "as they give their hands each to other, so likewise they should give their hearts also, whereunto that vein is extended." [3] He cites unnamed ancient sources for this belief and purports an Egyptian connection, most likely referring to a work by the fourth century Roman writer Macrobius.
Macrobius, in Saturnalia VII, refers to the connection between the ring finger and the heart but implies that it is a nerve rather than a vein. In this work, the belief is stated to have originated in Egypt.
...after turning up some books on anatomy, I discovered the truth: that there is a certain nerve which has its origin in the heart and runs from there to the finger next to the little finger of the left hand, where it ends entwined with the rest of the nerves of that finger; and that this is the reason why it seemed good to the men of old to encircle that finger with a ring, as though to honor it with a crown. [4]
Another early reference, not specifying the hand, was by Isidore of Seville in his 7th century work De ecclesiasticis officiis XX, 8:
Men have begun to wear a ring on their fourth finger starting from the thumb, since there is a vein here which links it to the heart—something which the ancients thought worth noting and honouring. [5]
References to this vein continue in England until the 17th century, when more came to be understood about the circulatory system. Until then, the vena amoris figured into various remedies affecting the heart. Some thought that the simple wearing of a ring on this finger, or pinching the finger, would alleviate ailments. [6] It was sometimes referred to as the leech-finger due to blood-letting practices.
While the placement of wedding rings has varied greatly over time and place, the vena amoris has always been identified in the fourth finger, next to the little finger. [1] Most sources point to it being in the left hand, but some, like Isidore of Seville, do not specify a hand. Today many western countries follow a tradition of placing wedding rings on the fourth finger of the right hand instead. [7]
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: CS1 maint: location (link)Isidore of Seville was a Hispano-Roman scholar, theologian, and archbishop of Seville. He is widely regarded, in the words of 19th-century historian Montalembert, as "the last scholar of the ancient world".
The heart is a muscular organ found in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to the lungs. In humans, the heart is approximately the size of a closed fist and is located between the lungs, in the middle compartment of the chest, called the mediastinum.
An engagement ring, also known as a betrothal ring, is a ring indicating that the person wearing it is engaged to be married, especially in Western cultures. A ring is presented as an engagement gift by a partner to their prospective spouse when they propose marriage to represent a formal agreement to future marriage. In most Western countries, engagement rings are usually worn only by women, and they are typically adorned with diamonds. In some countries, partners wear matching rings, and engagement rings may also be used as wedding rings. In the Anglosphere, the ring is customarily worn on the left hand ring finger, but customs vary across the world.
An engagement or betrothal is the period of time between the declaration of acceptance of a marriage proposal and the marriage itself. During this period, a couple is said to be fiancés, 'betrothed', 'intended', 'affianced', 'engaged to be married', or simply 'engaged'. Future brides and grooms may be called fiancée (feminine) or fiancé (masculine), 'the betrothed', a 'wife-to-be' or 'husband-to-be', respectively. The duration of the courtship varies vastly, and is largely dependent on cultural norms or upon the agreement of the parties involved.
Veins are blood vessels in the circulatory system of humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are those of the pulmonary and fetal circulations which carry oxygenated blood to the heart. In the systemic circulation, arteries carry oxygenated blood away from the heart, and veins return deoxygenated blood to the heart, in the deep veins.
The circulatory system is a system of organs that includes the heart, blood vessels, and blood which is circulated throughout the entire body of a human or other vertebrate. It includes the cardiovascular system, or vascular system, that consists of the heart and blood vessels. The circulatory system has two divisions, a systemic circulation or circuit, and a pulmonary circulation or circuit. Some sources use the terms cardiovascular system and vascular system interchangeably with circulatory system.
A wedding ring or wedding band is a finger ring that indicates that its wearer is married. It is usually forged from metal, traditionally gold or another precious metal. Rings were used in ancient Rome during marriage.
A Claddagh ring is a traditional Irish ring in which a heart represents love, the crown stands for loyalty, and two clasped hands symbolize friendship.
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The ring finger, third finger, fourth finger, leech finger, or annulary is the fourth digit of the human hand, located between the middle finger and the little finger.
In the United States and Canada, a class ring is a ring worn by students and alumni to commemorate their final academic year and/or graduation, generally for a high school, college, or university.
João Rodrigues de Castelo Branco, better known as Amato Lusitano and Amatus Lusitanus (1511–1568), was a notable Portuguese Jewish physician of the 16th century. Like Herophilus, Galen, Ibn al-Nafis, Michael Servetus, Realdo Colombo and William Harvey, he is credited as making a discovery in the circulation of the blood. He is said to have discovered the function of the valves in the circulation of the blood.
A ring is a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry. The term "ring" by itself denotes jewellery worn on the finger; when worn as an ornament elsewhere, the body part is specified within the term, e.g., earrings, neck rings, arm rings, and toe rings. Rings fit snugly around or in the part of the body they ornament, so bands worn loosely, like a bracelet, are not rings. Rings may be made of almost any hard material: wood, bone, stone, metal, glass, jade, gemstone or plastic. They may be set with gemstones or with other types of stone or glass.
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A smart ring is a compact wearable electronic device that combines mobile technology with features for convenient on-the-go use. These devices, typically designed to fit on a finger like a traditional ring, offer functionalities like mobile payments, access control, gesture control, and activity tracking. Smart rings can connect to smartphones or other devices, and some can operate independently, communicating with cloud-based systems or performing standalone tasks. While lacking traditional displays, they respond to contextual cues, such as proximity to payment terminals or specific gestures.
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According to the cardiocentric hypothesis, the heart has a profound influence on human emotions, cognition, and awareness. This notion may be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Greece, where the heart was regarded not only as a physical organ but also as a repository of emotions and wisdom. Aristotle, a well-known Greek philosopher in this field, contributed to the notion by thinking the heart to be the centre of both emotions and intellect. He believed that the heart was the center of the psycho-physiological system and that it was responsible for controlling sensation, thought, and body movement. He also observed that the heart was the origin of the veins in the body and that the existence of pneuma in the heart was to function as a messenger, traveling through blood vessels to produce sensation. This point of view remained throughout history, spanning the Middle Ages and Renaissance, influencing medical and intellectual debate.