Interesting facts-History of the Engagement Ring

Interesting facts-History of the Engagement Ring
The ancient Egyptians were the first civilization to use the circle as a symbol of the union between a man and a woman. The very nature of a circle, without a beginning or an end, represents the eternity of love.

The Egyptians formed the first rings from bone or simple metals.

The ancient Greeks had a different angle on the ring. For them, the ring was a symbol of betrothal, a promise to one day become engaged.

Across many cultures, there's evidence that a gold ring emerged as the traditional gift of choice for a man to give the family of his future bride.

If you're wondering when diamonds entered the engagement process, tradition has it that the first diamond engagement ring was given in 1477 to Mary of Burgundy by Archduke Maximillian of Hamburg. Because diamond is the hardest and strongest mineral on earth, it was seen to resist breakage, and thus symbolize the unbending union of a man and woman in wedlock.

So it became increasingly popular for the European super wealthy and royalty to give a diamond engagement ring at this time.

Less wealthy citizens would have given a Fede (faith) ring in the form of two clasped hands more akin to the more modern claddagh (clasped hands) engagement rings.

And why do we wear the ring on the left hand? Tradition states that a vein called the vena amoris runs directly to the heart from the third finger of the left hand.

Fashion must have moved slowly then, because it was almost another 300 years until the development of the wedding band. In 1761, Queen Charlotte was the first documented bride to wear a wedding band to "guard her engagement ring". It seems to be a nice present from her forward-thinking man, King George III. If only he knew the implications of that gift

Bizarre events-Man sleeps with dead wife for five years

Man Sleeps with Dead Wife for Five Years!

They say love knows no boundaries, but this is taking it a little too far. A Vietnamese man has been sleeping next to his wife’s corpse for the last five years.

Le Van, a 55-year-old man from Quang Nam province, Vietnam, lost his wife in 2003. Because he couldn’t go to sleep at night without hugging his beloved spouse, he slept on top of her grave for about 20 months. When he couldn’t stand the rain and wind anymore, he decided to dig a tunnel into the grave, so he could sleep with his wife.

When the kids heard his crazy plan, they did everything they could to stop him, so Le Van had to think of another way he could cuddle up to his wife at night. In 2004 he unearthed her remains, wrapped them in pieces of paper and a clay mould and put a dummy mask on her face. The man has been sleeping next to his dead wife ever since.

Amazing facts-World's Biggest Golden Coin of 1 Million Dollars

Amazing facts-World's Biggest Golden Coin of 1 Million Dollars

Camouflaged Cell Phone Towers

Camouflaged Cell Phone Towers

Even though people increasingly depend upon cellular communications, they are opposed to the bare cell phone towers spoiling otherwise scenic views. Many people view bare towers as an ugly mark on a beautiful landscape. So many companies disguise their cell phone towers as trees, church towers, flag poles, water tanks and other features. These are generally called "stealth towers" or "stealth installations". More images after the break...

World's Youngest Tattoo Artist

Most three-year-old girls are just getting to grips with felt pens, but Ruby Dickinson is taking her artistic tendencies a step further. The toddler is set to become the world's youngest tattoo artist after learning the trade from her father, Blane, who runs a tattoo parlour in Wales.  Mr Dickinson, 36, is importing an ink gun from the U.S. that has been specially designed to be used by small hands. More images after the break...

Ruby Dickinson is set to become the world's youngest tattoo artist after learning the trade from her father, Blane, who runs a tattoo parlour in Wales. Ruby will be getting the miniature tattoo kit for her fourth birthday in October. Mr Dickinson told North Wales Pioneer: 'Ruby is well aware she is getting the kit, she cannot wait. She wants to be a tattoo artist when she grows up. 'The aim is to get her to tattoo my leg with a birthday message for my 40th birthday.'  The toddler currently takes tattoo lessons after nursery as well as practising with a toy kit at her father's shop. Mr Dickinson hopes to beat Canadian Emilie Darrigade's record of tattooing part of a butterfly on to her father's arm when she was five.

Mr Dickinson, 36, is importing an ink gun from the U.S. that has been specially designed to be used by small hands, According to her father, Ruby is nearly able to draw a complete version of her favourite design - a spider.

'I'm under no illusions that she'll do a Van Gogh, after all she's only three-and-a-half,' Mr Dickinson told The Sun.

'But I've got 70 per cent of my body covered in tattoos already and it'll only be the size of a 2p piece, so I'm not too worried she'll make a mess of it.'

Mr Dickinson, who runs Inkaholics Anonymous at his home in Penmaenmawr, Conwy, added: 'It'll be a proud and very special moment for me and for her.

'She really loves it and I'm pleased I can teach her the skills.'

However, despite hoping Ruby will take up tattooing as a career, the toddler's father is keen to let her make her own choices.

Via Link

Sheep - Pig pulling the wool over

At first glance, with its woolly coat, onlookers would be forgiven for mistaking this creature for a sheep. However, a closer look at this rare breed reveals a snout and trotters usually found on pigs. It’s a confusing sight, but this is one of three curly coated Mangalitza ‘sheep-pigs’ which have been delivered to a UK zoo. More images after the break...

Pig in a blanket: Buddy, one of the Mangalitza sheep-pigs that have been delivered to a zoo in Essex, As part of a programme to help save the animals from extinction, staff at Tropical Wings in Essex are hoping they can help the breed survive.Originating from Austria and Hungary, the Mangalitza is similar to the native Lincolnshire curly coat breed which died out in Britain 40 years ago. ‘At first sight, people think they are sheep,’ Denise Cox, education co-ordinator, at Tropical Wings, said. ‘It is not until they turn around and you see their faces and snouts you realise they are in fact pigs.

‘The woolly coat makes them very hardy and helps them to survive in the harsh winters in their native Austria and Hungary. ‘In the summer it helps protect them from sunburn.’ The sheep-pig used to be a common sight in Lincolnshire and was shorn once a year to make sweaters, but it became extinct in Britain in 1972. In the early 1900s, many Lincolnshire curly coats were sold to Austria and Hungary where they were crossed with the Mangalitza, creating the Lincolista. Three years ago this cross-breed were found thriving in Austria and a small number were brought back to create a herd in Britain. Now offspring from this herd have gone to Essex to form part of a programme to prevent the breed from disappearing. They are worth around £1,000, five times the value of an ordinary pig and are fond of fruit and the odd tipple. Blond-haired male, Buddy, black-coated female, Porsche, and ginger Margot have already attracted lots of interest from visitors. ‘Although there is a small amount of genetic DNA in there, they are in a small way linked to Lincolnshire curly coat,’ Ms Cox added. ‘It’s extremely rare, particularly in its native Hungary and Austria. ‘We want to show people what these native woolly pigs used to look like and ensure the breed remains in this country and survives. ‘They have already become a real talking point at the zoo and everyone loves them.’

Shuvalov Bell Factory

There is certainly something fascinating about bells. They are not just tools for producing high-quality and extraordinary clear sounds. Bell is also a means of fellowship of God and people. Somehow, bells draw His attention to something that’s happening in a church. For toll can be a festive or a mournful thing; it also can inform one of good news or just please your ear with music that the toller makes, more images after the break...

And there is more. Each bell is a work of art itself. There is one small bell factory located in the north of the Yaroslav region, nearby Tutaevo town, which is probably known all round the world. You can hear the toll of Tutaev bells almost in every church of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

No, of course bells aren’t being born like that. At the beginning there are lots of calculations and lots of paperwork that must be done. After all the routine, casting molds which will make the shape of a bell itself are need to be carved out. And only afterwards a long process goes in by way of which clay will be put on the stem coating after coating. Notably that even the clay used is special one. It is collected in some quarry in the Yaroslav region and then delivered to the plant. Do not ask about quarry location: Tutaev masters prefer not to breathe a word about it.

Owner and a soul of the factory is Nikolai Shuvalov. Who can tell us about bells and their making process more than he?

Clay is being put on a workpiece with the quality of clay upgraded with every single coating. When it’s finished we’re getting inner surface of the bell made of clay. Then there is a new mold being slipped on the stem which is going to make the outer face of a bell. The clay is being coated on it layer after layer, but its quality is much better now.

 

The Icelands Volcano Eruption Satellite Pictures

On 15th April, 2010, British civil aviation authorities ordered the country's airspace closed as of noon, due to a cloud of ash drifting from the erupting volcano named Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland. The volcano has erupted for the second time in less than a month, melting ice, shooting smoke and steam into the air and forcing hundreds of people to flee rising flood waters.

Here are photos of the most recent eruptions. Have a look.

When Bhajji did Chakk De to Mrs. Ambani Pictures

It was all Mrs. Ambani in Harbhajan Singh's arms when the Mumbai Indians marched into the finals. This unseen with sure raise some eyebrows ;)

Nae, Grow up guys, it just the celebration. Get a life!

Pictures hosted at our servers and are subject to copyrights of their respective owners.

Amazing Muscular Pakistani Bulls Pictures