: Linked the heart to the core of all strong emotions, including grief, joy, and fear, rather than just romantic affection.
: The 13th-century French novel "The Romance of the Pear" contains one of the first known depictions of a person handing over their heart—represented as a stylized pinecone or pear-like shape—to a lover. Symbolic Meaning Across Civilizations heart symbol
: The heart emoji remains one of the most frequently used globally. In specific subcultures, variations like the Korean finger heart (crossing the thumb and index finger) have become popular symbols of appreciation. : Linked the heart to the core of
: Regarded as the "Ib" (soul), the heart was believed to hold memory and personality. In the afterlife, it was weighed against a feather to determine a person's worthiness. heart symbol