what is the origin of the heart symbol?

Valentine’s Day will be celebrated on Wednesday February 14, with loads of sweet kisses and, above all, little hearts. But where does the heart symbol, which the French send by the millions, come from? The pictogram has little to do with the organ it represents. The first image of a modern heart is found in a very small illumination hidden in a 13th century book. The heart then resembles a pear or a pine cone. At the time, human anatomy was a mystery, and dissection was a religious taboo.

A plant origin

The heart symbol is actually inspired by plants. Since ancient Roman times, people have used the image of the ivy leaf to declare their love. This vigorous plant is synonymous with longevity. On the Germanic side, we prefer the lime tree, the bark of which is used to make ropes. Nothing like it to symbolize attachment. Our modern heart would therefore be the distant descendant of these two leaves.