As soon as February starts, we see hearts everywhere: candies, chocolates, cards, you name it. But, have you ever wondered why the drawings of hearts have that shape if they do not resemble at all a real heart?
Of course, an anatomical accurate depiction of a heart can be the least romantic thing you can see in Valentine’s card, but it turns out the reason why we draw hearts as we do is still a mystery. However, there are several theories that may tell us why, but none of them have been confirmed.
The origin of the heart shape
One of the first representations ever recorded of a heart goes back as far as 13th century. A French manuscript by an unknown author called “Roman de la poire” (Romance of the pear) is considered to have the earliest image of a heart used metaphorically and it shows a man holding a heart in his hands and giving it to his lover.
It is important that this manuscript is considered to be the first representation of a heart in a metaphorical way, since many cultures such as the Grecian, Cretian, Minoan, Mycenean, Roman, and Corinthian used the symbol in their pottery.
It was a depiction of a now extinct plant
One theory suggests that the representation of the heart comes from a now extinct plant called silphiumi. This herb, originally from Cyrene, an African city-state, was believed to serve as a contraceptive, therefore it was associated with love, passion, and, of course, sex.
It was the three-chambered center of emotions
The Greeks and Romans considered the heart to be the center of all emotions and more specifically, Aristotle thought it was a three-chambered organ. Some believe this is the reason why it has two rounded shapes on top that converge in an arrow below.
Is a representation of love organs
It is more than obvious that a drawing of a heart is far from being like a real heart, however, some believe it does have some sort of anatomical inspiration.
It is thought that hearts represent various parts, from breasts, buttocks to more intimate regions like the vulva or even testicles.
Its a representation of leaves
Greeks used to have little hearts in their pieces of art but mainly because they were trying to represent vine or ivy leaves. These were associated with Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, joy. Some even believe that these leaves were used to represent brothels.
As soon as February starts, we see hearts everywhere: candies, chocolates, cards, you name it. But, have you ever wondered why the drawings of hearts have that shape if they do not resemble at all a real heart?
Of course, an anatomical accurate depiction of a heart can be the least romantic thing you can see in Valentine’s card, but it turns out the reason why we draw hearts as we do is still a mystery. However, there are several theories that may tell us why, but none of them have been confirmed.
The origin of the heart shape
One of the first representations ever recorded of a heart goes back as far as 13th century. A French manuscript by an unknown author called “Roman de la poire” (Romance of the pear) is considered to have the earliest image of a heart used metaphorically and it shows a man holding a heart in his hands and giving it to his lover.
It is important that this manuscript is considered to be the first representation of a heart in a metaphorical way, since many cultures such as the Grecian, Cretian, Minoan, Mycenean, Roman, and Corinthian used the symbol in their pottery.
It was a depiction of a now extinct plant
One theory suggests that the representation of the heart comes from a now extinct plant called silphiumi. This herb, originally from Cyrene, an African city-state, was believed to serve as a contraceptive, therefore it was associated with love, passion, and, of course, sex.
It was the three-chambered center of emotions
The Greeks and Romans considered the heart to be the center of all emotions and more specifically, Aristotle thought it was a three-chambered organ. Some believe this is the reason why it has two rounded shapes on top that converge in an arrow below.
Is a representation of love organs
It is more than obvious that a drawing of a heart is far from being like a real heart, however, some believe it does have some sort of anatomical inspiration.
It is thought that hearts represent various parts, from breasts, buttocks to more intimate regions like the vulva or even testicles.
Its a representation of leaves
Greeks used to have little hearts in their pieces of art but mainly because they were trying to represent vine or ivy leaves. These were associated with Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, joy. Some even believe that these leaves were used to represent brothels.
As soon as February starts, we see hearts everywhere: candies, chocolates, cards, you name it. But, have you ever wondered why the drawings of hearts have that shape if they do not resemble at all a real heart?
Of course, an anatomical accurate depiction of a heart can be the least romantic thing you can see in Valentine’s card, but it turns out the reason why we draw hearts as we do is still a mystery. However, there are several theories that may tell us why, but none of them have been confirmed.
The origin of the heart shape
One of the first representations ever recorded of a heart goes back as far as 13th century. A French manuscript by an unknown author called “Roman de la poire” (Romance of the pear) is considered to have the earliest image of a heart used metaphorically and it shows a man holding a heart in his hands and giving it to his lover.
It is important that this manuscript is considered to be the first representation of a heart in a metaphorical way, since many cultures such as the Grecian, Cretian, Minoan, Mycenean, Roman, and Corinthian used the symbol in their pottery.
It was a depiction of a now extinct plant
One theory suggests that the representation of the heart comes from a now extinct plant called silphiumi. This herb, originally from Cyrene, an African city-state, was believed to serve as a contraceptive, therefore it was associated with love, passion, and, of course, sex.
It was the three-chambered center of emotions
The Greeks and Romans considered the heart to be the center of all emotions and more specifically, Aristotle thought it was a three-chambered organ. Some believe this is the reason why it has two rounded shapes on top that converge in an arrow below.
Is a representation of love organs
It is more than obvious that a drawing of a heart is far from being like a real heart, however, some believe it does have some sort of anatomical inspiration.
It is thought that hearts represent various parts, from breasts, buttocks to more intimate regions like the vulva or even testicles.
Its a representation of leaves
Greeks used to have little hearts in their pieces of art but mainly because they were trying to represent vine or ivy leaves. These were associated with Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, joy. Some even believe that these leaves were used to represent brothels.
As soon as February starts, we see hearts everywhere: candies, chocolates, cards, you name it. But, have you ever wondered why the drawings of hearts have that shape if they do not resemble at all a real heart?
Of course, an anatomical accurate depiction of a heart can be the least romantic thing you can see in Valentine’s card, but it turns out the reason why we draw hearts as we do is still a mystery. However, there are several theories that may tell us why, but none of them have been confirmed.
The origin of the heart shape
One of the first representations ever recorded of a heart goes back as far as 13th century. A French manuscript by an unknown author called “Roman de la poire” (Romance of the pear) is considered to have the earliest image of a heart used metaphorically and it shows a man holding a heart in his hands and giving it to his lover.
It is important that this manuscript is considered to be the first representation of a heart in a metaphorical way, since many cultures such as the Grecian, Cretian, Minoan, Mycenean, Roman, and Corinthian used the symbol in their pottery.
It was a depiction of a now extinct plant
One theory suggests that the representation of the heart comes from a now extinct plant called silphiumi. This herb, originally from Cyrene, an African city-state, was believed to serve as a contraceptive, therefore it was associated with love, passion, and, of course, sex.
It was the three-chambered center of emotions
The Greeks and Romans considered the heart to be the center of all emotions and more specifically, Aristotle thought it was a three-chambered organ. Some believe this is the reason why it has two rounded shapes on top that converge in an arrow below.
Is a representation of love organs
It is more than obvious that a drawing of a heart is far from being like a real heart, however, some believe it does have some sort of anatomical inspiration.
It is thought that hearts represent various parts, from breasts, buttocks to more intimate regions like the vulva or even testicles.
Its a representation of leaves
Greeks used to have little hearts in their pieces of art but mainly because they were trying to represent vine or ivy leaves. These were associated with Dionysus, the god of wine, fertility, joy. Some even believe that these leaves were used to represent brothels.
