14 February 2008
the heart as a symbol of love
Whether or not you celebrate il giorno di San Valentino, or Valentine’s Day, you’re probably seeing a lot of hearts around today. And flowers and chocolates and all kinds of traditional symbols of this day of love.
But why the heart?
Ancient Egyptians believed the heart (ib), rather than the brain, was the center of wisdom, emotions, memory, soul, and the key to the afterlife–and most of us know that “heartache” really does describe the pain of love lost–but the shape of the human heart really looks nothing like the heart shape that we all know today.
So where does it come from?
Well Tears for Fears came pretty close to the answer in 1989 when they sang about Sowing the Seeds of Love. Who knew?
See the coin on the left? It’s from Cyrene, an ancient Greek colony in what is now Libya, and depicts the seed pod of silphium, a member of the fennel family that is now extinct. The crop was extremely important to the Cyrenian economy–so much so that much of Cyrene’s currency featured this plant believed by the Greeks to have been a gift from Apollo following a flood in 7 B.C.
Silphium was used in cooking and was also a kind of miracle herbal remedy for cough, sore throat, fever, indigestion, aches, pains, and more.
What does this have to do with the heart as a symbol of love?
Well, up until its extinction in the 2nd century, silphium was also the most effective herbal contraceptive. Soranus, the noted Roman gynecologist, advised women to drink silphium juice mixed with water every month because “it not only prevents conception but also destroys anything existing.”
Could silphium have been the world’s first morning-after pill?
We’ll never know for sure since all subsequent attempts at growing silphium have failed, but it seems that the seed pod’s image lives on, ironically perhaps, in our symbol of love–the heart.
Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Love Thursday!
P.S. If you’d like to read more about how this holiday came about, please see Tui of Mental Mosaic’s The History of Valentine’s Day: From Bloody Goat Hide to Roses and Chocolate.
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Technorati Tags: hearts, valentine’s day, symbols, ib, love thursday, shutter sisters, cyrene, silphium, ancient coins
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Pasticcera on 14 Feb 2008 at 9:26 am #
Happy V day!
Pasticcera’s last blog post..Not Exactly Wordless Wednesday
Thanks! Hope you’re enjoying your day
Absolute Vanilla... (and Atyllah) on 14 Feb 2008 at 10:04 am #
Fascinating post! Happy Valentine’s Day, Sognatrice!
Absolute Vanilla… (and Atyllah)’s last blog post..Happy Valentine’s Day and a meme
Thanks! Hope you had a lovely day as well.
Lois Lane on 14 Feb 2008 at 10:39 am #
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too! Thanks for the great historical info.
Lois Lane’s last blog post..Love Thursday - Valentine’s Day
Thanks Lois…any time
Diane Mandy on 14 Feb 2008 at 11:02 am #
Very interesting! THanks for sharing and happy V-day!
Diane Mandy’s last blog post..February 14: Self Love Day
Thanks Diane; hope you had a great day!
birchsprite on 14 Feb 2008 at 11:26 am #
Well I never… you learn something new every day!!
Cheers for the info!
And BUON SAN VALENTINO!
birchsprite’s last blog post..Last weekend
Glad you enjoyed, and thanks!
Giulia on 14 Feb 2008 at 11:27 am #
Interesting facts! Happy Valentine’s Day, Michelle!
I love the stuffed animal. Is that a giraffe? So cute!
Giulia’s last blog post..Week in Review
Yes a giraffe it is
Happy V D! | misplacedmisfit.com on 14 Feb 2008 at 12:32 pm #
[...] Valentine’s Day this year, I’m going to direct you to Bleeding Expresso who has a great Valentine’s Day [...]
Bipolarlawyercook on 14 Feb 2008 at 12:40 pm #
Very interesting– I always find herbology interesting, medicinal and culinary. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Bipolarlawyercook’s last blog post..One perfect rose– Love Thursday, and Happy Valentine’s Day
Glad you liked it BLC, and thanks
My Melange on 14 Feb 2008 at 1:13 pm #
Happy Valetines Day, Michelle. Interesting about the silphium. On an episode of ROME, I remember one of the slaves gave a pregnant girl some herbal concoction that she got from an herbalist. She got sick, lost the baby and died. Maybe the work of silphium????
My Melange’s last blog post..So, what’s in a name?
Interesting. The woman wasn’t supposed to get sick and die though! Hmm….
Secret Agent Mama on 14 Feb 2008 at 2:32 pm #
Wow. How interesting. Those ancient Greeks, Itellyawhut!
This is my first participation in ‘love thursday’; I hope you’ll stop by for a visit!
Secret Agent Mama’s last blog post..By: Laura from the Fringe
I know…who woulda thought?! Love your Love Thursday btw
kacey on 14 Feb 2008 at 2:48 pm #
okay, now THAT was interesting! First I learn all about nutella, now about heart symbols and Valentine’s Day. I can always depend on you for a fascinating post!
kacey’s last blog post..The Perfect Husband
Oh I’m always full of something around here Kacey
Jenn on 14 Feb 2008 at 3:13 pm #
Just wanted to say hi, as I have been lurking mostly since the new year. I love your new blog - you put so much work into it and it looks great. Anyhoo… just wanted to wish P. and you a Happy Valentine’s Day! :o)
Jenn’s last blog post..Blog Makeover
Hi Jenn, nice to see you! Thanks for the compliments and for the Valentine’s wishes. Hope you had a lovely day as well!
anno on 14 Feb 2008 at 3:16 pm #
Once again, you’ve enlarged my understanding! Happy Valentine’s Day!
anno’s last blog post..What’s Cooking Wednesday: Valentine’s Day Cookies
Glad you liked the info, and I hope you had a great day with those cookies
Stefanie on 14 Feb 2008 at 3:21 pm #
Honestly, lady, sometimes you’re just like Cliff Clavin! (But cuter, of course. And I’m going to assume your pants aren’t consistently too short.)
Stefanie’s last blog post..Bachelor #3
Well I never thought I’d ever be compared with such an icon of American television, so wow–thanks! And no, being 5′2″, my pants aren’t usually short
amanda on 14 Feb 2008 at 3:35 pm #
Made the mousse, got the prosecco in the fridge, who knows I might even put the heating on! Have a happy day.
amanda’s last blog post..Vladimir and the villagers
OK if the heat is going on, I know it’s a special night
Susan on 14 Feb 2008 at 3:44 pm #
Interesting. I’ll have to check out the additional history - with a title like that, who could resist?!
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Susan’s last blog post..And the winner of the Celebrity Loves drawing is…
Hah, I agree about the title
nyc/caribbean ragazza on 14 Feb 2008 at 4:22 pm #
Happy Valentine’s Day Michelle!
nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..This Phyllis Hyman song sums up a typical Valentine’s Day for this Ragazza.
Thanks Bella!
mental mosaic » The History of Valentine’s Day: From Bloody Goat Hide to Roses and Chocolate on 14 Feb 2008 at 4:47 pm #
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Maddy on 14 Feb 2008 at 5:31 pm #
I’ve always thought that the ‘heart’ was a slightly icky association.
Best wishes
Maddy’s last blog post..St. Valentine
Well no internal organ is really warm and fuzzy, so if we had to pick one….
Christina Arbini on 14 Feb 2008 at 5:34 pm #
That was a great, post, Michelle! I had no idea from where the “heart” symbol originated. Very cool!
Christina
Christina Arbini’s last blog post..Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy to provide info! Hope you had a great day
rositta on 14 Feb 2008 at 5:40 pm #
That was an interesting read, I didn’t know that, have a lovely Valentines Day…ciao
rositta’s last blog post..Happy Valentines Day - February 14
Thanks Rositta
nikkipolani on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:00 pm #
Learn something new every day!
Thanks.!
nikkipolani’s last blog post..love thursday: she loves me not
My pleasure!
jen of a2eatwrite on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:11 pm #
This was fascinating! I had no idea about silphium.
jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..What’s Cooking Wednesday: Jen’s Chocolate Custard
I didn’t either before I starting looking; glad you liked it
Britt-Arnhild on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:16 pm #
Happy Valentine’s Day.
Britt-Arnhild’s last blog post..The Wedding Day
Thanks! Hope you had a great day too!
A Novelist on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:16 pm #
Happy Valentine’s Day! xoxox Novelist
A Novelist’s last blog post..Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thanks! And also to you and John!
Lisa on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:20 pm #
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sofia (my 10-month-old) and I went around the house this morning taking pictures of the different hearts we had for my post today.
Buona Giornata!
Lisa’s last blog post..Love is a many splendid thing
What a lovely way to celebrate!
melody on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:25 pm #
I always enjoy learning these things, and I love your photos.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
melody’s last blog post..Love Rocks
Thanks Melody! Thanks for stopping by
Karina on 14 Feb 2008 at 6:41 pm #
Always educational! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Karina’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen #42
Thanks! Hope you had a fabulous day
sadira on 14 Feb 2008 at 7:47 pm #
OH…I just love the history of all the symbols we use so freely…I was a research hound when I got married so that I could really only include the things in my ceremony that meant something to me….
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
sadira’s last blog post..Happy Valentines Day…
What a great idea for your wedding; I just may take your lead on that one
Janet on 14 Feb 2008 at 8:07 pm #
That ancient Egyptian heart would make an amazing salt shaker!!!
Janet’s last blog post..T #107: Happy Valentine’s Day*!
Hah, would indeed
Welshcakes Limoncello on 15 Feb 2008 at 1:20 am #
Buon San Valentino a te, sognatrice !
Welshcakes Limoncello’s last blog post..A BILINGUAL LUNCH
Grazie
Susan at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy on 15 Feb 2008 at 1:32 am #
Great post! Great minds must think alike. I posted about how hearts came to be a symbol for VD today too! I guess hearts are on everyones mind today!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Susan at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy’s last blog post..Easy Almond Brioche for a Special Valentine’s Day Breakfast
Great minds indeed; what a great recipe today!
Wanderlust Scarlett on 15 Feb 2008 at 5:40 am #
Goats huh? I’ll take the chocolate and flowers.
This was SO intriguing! I didn’t know any of that, and it was great to learn, thanks!
Happy Valentines to you sweet lady!
I hope it’s a very good one!
*MUAH*
big hugs from us too
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Wanderlust Scarlett’s last blog post..Happy Valentines!
Ciao bella! Hope you had a lovely day full of chocolates and no goats
Gil on 15 Feb 2008 at 7:53 am #
Hope that you all had a very Happy & Romantic Valentin’s Day. Thanks for another great history lesson. You are too smart.
Well thanks Gil, although I think I’m more curious than smart per se
poppy fields on 15 Feb 2008 at 8:45 am #
Bon Saint Valentin pleine d’amour!
poppy fields’s last blog post..Mimosa
Grazie mille!
Ambra Celeste on 15 Feb 2008 at 12:04 pm #
Happy Valentines Day to you too! Hugs from all of us!
Ambra Celeste’s last blog post..Danger!
Thanks! Abbracci to you as well
SabineM on 15 Feb 2008 at 5:47 pm #
what great research and info!
HOpe you had a nice Valentine’s day!
SabineM’s last blog post..Earth Hour March 29th
Thanks Sabine; hope you had a great day too