The stereotypical heart image, two round lobes meeting at a single point, is a universal symbol of love and heart health. We see it almost everywhere -- in clinics, pharmacies, greeting cards, jewelry, bumper stickers, emoji keyboards, and even in advertising campaigns for countries, cities, and football teams. It is enough to think that about $30 billion is spent annually on Valentine’s Day. This symbol bears no resemblance to a human heart at all. So where did it come from? The answer lies in a long history shaped by philosophy, nature, and art.
This familiar shape we know today was inspired by ancient beliefs about what the heart represents, long before modern science identified its crucial function. The cultures and religious beliefs of most countries viewed the heart as the seat of emotion, thought, and even the soul. They had little understanding of the importance of the brain, often because the brain does not beat like the heart and does not respond to intense emotions. The pharaohs would leave the heart inside the body after mummification, considering it more important than the brain. In Greek philosophy, Aristotle described the heart as the source of sensation and life itself. It was believed to be the first organ to form in the fetus and the center of human emotion. With limited access to human anatomy, early artists and painters relied on metaphor, creating stylized, symmetrical forms that reflected the symbolic role of the heart in the soul rather than its actual anatomy.
One of the most convincing theories about the origin of the heart symbol points to ancient agriculture and plant symbolism, rather than human anatomy. The silphium plant was closely associated with love and fertility. Some historians believe the shape of its seed pod may have directly influenced the development of the heart symbol. By the Middle Ages, the heart symbol began to appear frequently in art and religious literature in Europe, often symbolizing divine or spiritual love. In Christian iconography, saints were depicted holding or pointing toward flaming hearts, symbolizing their devotion to God. The Sacred Heart of Jesus (PBUH) featured prominently in medieval devotional art, emphasizing themes of love, sacrifice, and mercy, establishing itself as a spiritual symbol of the heart.
More secular interpretations of the heart are depicted in manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries in a lovers’ exchange of the heart image, in which a man offers his heart, much like the modern symbol, to his beloved. These early illustrations of the heart were red, symmetrical, and stylized, but they did not always follow the current trend. Some were depicted with the head facing upward, while others were more angular.
The invention of the printing press in the 15th century contributed to the standardization and dissemination of the heart symbol throughout Europe. In 1498, Leonardo da Vinci drew one of the first anatomically accurate drawings of the human heart, but his scientific rendering had little impact on the romantic symbol, which had already taken root in popular culture. As Valentine’s Day evolved into a romantic holiday in England and France, illustrators and printers began mass-producing cards and souvenirs decorated with cupid symbols, flowers, and heart motifs. In the Victorian era, heart-shaped necklaces and lace-decorated Valentine’s Day cards became cherished expressions of affection. The heart symbol was no longer associated with anatomy or philosophy, as it became a visual symbol of love and emotional connection, a role it still plays today in greeting cards and text messages around the world, transforming it into a multi-billion-dollar business.
By Ahmad alsarraf
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