RICHARD WAGNER, composer of The Ring cycle of operas, was born on
May 22, 1813. To commemorate his bicentenary, here are some facts about
rings.
1. Reading at a rate of one page a minute, it has been calculated that
it takes one minute longer to read JRR Tolkien’s The Hobbit and Lord Of
The Rings than to listen to the Wagner Ring cycle.
2. Wedding
rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand because the Romans
believed that a nerve led directly from there to the heart.
3. Research shows that top sprinters have long ring fingers compared with their index fingers.
4. The most successful male traders in the City of London also have relatively long ring fingers.
5. The study of seals and signet rings is called sphragistics.
6. Elvis Presley was buried with his favourite diamond ring.
7. Old names for the ring finger include leech finger, physician finger and wedding finger.
8. Under the Chimney Sweepers Act 1894, it was an offence “to solicit employment as a chimney sweep by … ringing bells”.
9. From 1888-1930 cyclists were obliged by law to ring their bells non-stop on a public highway.
10. Richard Wagner, composer of the Ring cycle, liked wearing pink silk underwear.
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