Fraud or Poverty? Medieval Wedding Rings of Legnica Jews

Abstract

Wedding rings have been known since antiquity. In the Roman Empire, they took the form of bands adorned with a motif of two clasped hands. In Jewish culture, the engagement (kiddushin, erusin) – during which a ring was given – and the wedding (nissu’in) were originally separate ceremonies. It was not until the early 13^th century that the giving of a ring to the bride became an integral part of the wedding ritual. According to Halakha, the ring was to be made of pure gold. In practice, however, wedding rings were also made of silver, gold-plated metals, and even cheaper materials like copper. Wedding rings could take the form of ordinary rings, making them difficult to identify as archaeological artefacts. The only feature mentioned in historical sources is the engraved inscription MAZAL TOV.

MAZAL TOV not only conveyed a wish for happiness but also embodied a belief that its presence would ensure a successful union. To date, only three unquestionably medieval rings bearing this inscription are known: from Weissenfels, Colmar, and Erfurt, hoards hidden during the mid-fourteenth- century plague.

Each features a crown in the shape of a miniature building, symbolising not only the creation of a new home for the couple but also – perhaps primarily – the Temple of Solomon or the Second Temple destroyed by Titus, expressing hope for its future reconstruction.

Two Legnica rings were discovered during archaeological and architectural research conducted between 2021 and 2022 in the area bordered by Grodzka, Szpitalna, and Nowa Streets and the Galeria Piastowska building. One bears the MAZAL TOV inscription; the other has a crown in the form of Solomon’s Temple. Both are made of brass.

Jewish tradition permitted the use of silver, gold-plated, or even copper rings as symbols of marriage. However, for the marriage to be valid, the groom was required to inform the bride of the ring’s actual material. If the bride was unaware of its true value, the marriage was considered invalid.

The use of gold-imitating materials in the Legnica rings suggests they were made for poorer members of the Jewish community. However, the possibility of deliberate deception cannot be excluded. Even today, nearly 600 years later, these rings gleam with a golden hue, suggesting that they were made of precious metal.