A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

How did the heart shape come to be?

Best Answers

The heart shape (♥) is an ideograph used to express the idea of the "heart" in its metaphorical or symbolic sense as the center of emotion, including affection and love, especially romantic love. The "wounded heart" indicating lovesickness came to be depicted as a heart symbol pierced with an arrow (Cupid's), or heart symbol "broken" in two or more pieces. read more

The theory goes that the heart shape first became associated with sex, and eventually, with love. The Catholic Church contends that the modern heart shape did not come along until the 17 th century, when Saint Margaret Mary Alocoque had a vision of it surrounded by thorns. read more

Except for the red color, all aspects of blood are removed from the valentine shape rendering it no longer disgusting, but still representing what the ancients always thought of the heart: the Greeks believed that as the mind was the center of logic, the heart was the center of emotion and the soul. read more

Encyclopedia Research

Wikipedia: