Today, women expect a large, sparkling diamond set in a gold band when their friend pops the question, but that wasn’t always the case. Through the millennia, there has always been the practice of claiming your partner, from cavemen to today’s true gentleman, but the engagement rings that are given are not always luxurious.

Not exactly known for their elegant manners or for giving away fine jewelry, cavemen had a simple way of saying “uh, woman, mine, ug.” They took bits of grass, braided it into a simple rope, and tied it around their wrists, ankles, and waists to bring their spirit under their control. Aren’t we glad it’s changed over the years?

Ancient Egyptian mummies were found buried with a single modest silver or gold wire. This was definitely a step up from spiritual bonding, as the rings were placed on the third finger of the left hand. The circle was used to symbolize an endless cycle and the space in it as a gateway. The reason for placing it on what is now known as the ring finger is that the Egyptians believed that the vena amoris, or vein of love, ran from that finger directly to the heart.

As romantic as the Egyptians were, the Romans were not. Roman women were given a gold ring for their wedding day and special events, but an iron ring was worn at home as a sign that the husband owned the wife through a legally binding agreement. Puzzle rings were also created for the wives of sheikhs and sultans so that they could keep track of them.

Do not worry, because the romance is back in force thanks to Archduke Maximilian of Austria. With his proposal to Mary of Burgundy, one of the earliest known instances of a diamond engagement ring emerged. He gave her a ring set with small flat pieces of diamonds in the shape of an “M”. When the colonists arrived in America, thimbles were given as a sign of love and companionship. While useful, women soon found that they could cut off the top two-thirds of the thimble to create a ring, which could be used to show everyone that she was engaged.

The current diamond tradition did not become the norm until the 1930s. Until then, diamonds were considered a status symbol for the elite, and simpler bands with other stones and even pearls were widely worn. Following the commercial genius of the DeBeers company and its ad slogan “Diamonds are forever”, women have been waiting for the new and popular engagement rings with sparkling gems. I’m sure most women appreciate the transition from braided grass to the big, glamorous rings worn today.