Why is the heart a symbol of love?

The symbol of the heart (♥). Who does not know? The shape with two bows at the top and a pointed point at the bottom. But why is that called a "heart shape"?

Our human hearts have a very different shape, as you can see below. How is it that the symbol of our heart has this form? And what does the heart actually have to do with our feelings? Where does this symbolic meaning come from?

Origin of the heart symbol

In the Middle Ages, they didn’t record it so well with scientific facts and even did little research. They accepted without further question what Greek scientists had invented, and that was not always good. For example, the Greek scientists Aristotle and Galenus weren’t quite sure about the shape of the heart. The people of the Middle Ages were confused by this and formed a mish-mash of both viewpoints.

You've drawn the heart with a notch and a sharp point. This form has been displayed so many times that it was created at a specific time. Despite the fact that later became known worldwide, what the heart really looks like, the symbol has never changed since then. In fact, we owe the heart symbol of the laxity of people in the Middle Ages.

There are also people who believe in another source. For example, they think that the female body was the source of inspiration for the heart symbol and the arches are the round breasts or the buttocks of the woman. Others think the symbol was inspired by the herb silphium, which has leaves in the familiar heart shape. This herb used to be associated with healing and love.

Meaning of the heart symbol

The heart wasn’t always a symbol of love. The Aztecs, for example, thought that the heart served as food for the sun god, while the ancient Egyptians thought that conscience and intelligence were stored in the heart. The image below dates from the 15th century and is the first known visual source in which the heart symbolizes the love that someone feels for another. In the 16th century, the heart symbol became popular in Europe and grew into a well-known symbol of love. But why?

Why does the heart symbolize love?

That also has to do with the ignorance of our ancestors. In the past, people thought that the emotions came from the heart. The heart will beat faster or slower, depending on someone's feelings. For example, when someone is agitated or nervous, the heart starts beating faster and when someone calms down, it starts to beat slower. It is therefore believed that the heart (around the Middle Ages) became popular as a symbol of love.

Meanwhile, we know that hormones and brains play the biggest role in creating the feeling of love. But it is only natural that we haven’t changed the symbol because the chemical-physical process of love isn’t easy to reproduce and express. "The phenylethylamine in my body sends my brain a dash of dopamine when I see you" isn’t really a romantic way to express your love for someone. "I give you my heart" sounds a lot more poetic.

Heart Jewelry

The heart shape symbolizes love. Wearing jewelry with a heart shape is a great way to show that you love someone. It is also a great gift to give to a loved one. For example, think of a heart chain. At Names4ever there are many different types of heart chains, such as heart chains with different zircons, heart chains with baby feet or baby hands and heart chains with animal figures. In our heart chains, you can engrave the name of a loved one, so that you get a piece of jewelry that has a unique meaning for you.

Another unique form of heart jewelry in our web shop is our photo jewelry in the shape of a heart. You can engrave a picture of a loved one in a heart-shaped photo plate, so you always carry a memory of the person with you. We also have heart decorations for best friends. These BFF chains can be split in two, so you can keep one part yourself and give the other to your best friend!