02-12-2022, 04:06 AM
The heart symbol has evolved from the heart-shaped ivy leaf. Apparently it goes back to the 13th century.
Both can still be seen in the playing cards. Pike symbol of life and heart of love. It used to be green.
Report:
On 14 February, thousands of heart emojis are sent out, paper hearts are cut out and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are given away. On the most romantic day of the year, the symbol of love cannot be missing. But where does the shape actually come from?
The symbol of love was a plant.
The shape of the red heart with the two arches and the tip at the bottom has nothing to do with the human organ. It is true that the congruent halves of the symbol roughly correspond to the two chambers of the heart. But when the heart-shaped symbol was first used, no one was thinking of the human heart.
It all started in ancient Greece, where ivy leaves were considered a sign of eternal love because ivy is evergreen and long-lived. Vases were painted with the climbing plant, and bridal couples received a sprig of ivy at their wedding as a symbol of lasting fidelity.
The leaves, which have a heart-like shape, were thus associated with romance. At that time, however, the heart beating in the human chest was not yet considered the centre of the emotional world. On the contrary: the ancient Egyptians believed that conscience and intelligence were stored there. Nor did the blood-pumping organ have anything to do with the shape of the ivy leaf. Rather, Aristotle believed that the human heart looked like a pyramid or a pine cone.
The ivy leaf turns red
The triangular relationship between the shape of the heart, love and the human organ emerged in the Middle Ages. The Dark Ages adopted the ivy leaf of antiquity as a symbol of love. At the same time, red was established as the colour of love. So the ivy leaf was coloured accordingly in images of minneliterature - thus the red heart we know today was created.
At the latest in the 13th century, Christianity brought about the connection between the symbolic heart and the human body part. The "heart of Jesus" appeared in ecclesiastical representations: A flaming red heart shape worn by the Son of God on his chest - where the human heart beats. This was established as the physical seat of love: "With all your heart," the Bible says, "you shall love God."
Both can still be seen in the playing cards. Pike symbol of life and heart of love. It used to be green.
Report:
On 14 February, thousands of heart emojis are sent out, paper hearts are cut out and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are given away. On the most romantic day of the year, the symbol of love cannot be missing. But where does the shape actually come from?
The symbol of love was a plant.
The shape of the red heart with the two arches and the tip at the bottom has nothing to do with the human organ. It is true that the congruent halves of the symbol roughly correspond to the two chambers of the heart. But when the heart-shaped symbol was first used, no one was thinking of the human heart.
It all started in ancient Greece, where ivy leaves were considered a sign of eternal love because ivy is evergreen and long-lived. Vases were painted with the climbing plant, and bridal couples received a sprig of ivy at their wedding as a symbol of lasting fidelity.
The leaves, which have a heart-like shape, were thus associated with romance. At that time, however, the heart beating in the human chest was not yet considered the centre of the emotional world. On the contrary: the ancient Egyptians believed that conscience and intelligence were stored there. Nor did the blood-pumping organ have anything to do with the shape of the ivy leaf. Rather, Aristotle believed that the human heart looked like a pyramid or a pine cone.
The ivy leaf turns red
The triangular relationship between the shape of the heart, love and the human organ emerged in the Middle Ages. The Dark Ages adopted the ivy leaf of antiquity as a symbol of love. At the same time, red was established as the colour of love. So the ivy leaf was coloured accordingly in images of minneliterature - thus the red heart we know today was created.
At the latest in the 13th century, Christianity brought about the connection between the symbolic heart and the human body part. The "heart of Jesus" appeared in ecclesiastical representations: A flaming red heart shape worn by the Son of God on his chest - where the human heart beats. This was established as the physical seat of love: "With all your heart," the Bible says, "you shall love God."