The History of the Heart Symbol in Jewellery
The heart symbol has been used in jewellery for thousands of years, representing maternal and romantic love, but where did it first originate? Here at Cuttings, we have taken a look at the heart symbol’s journey throughout history, and the cultures it has featured in leading up to Western cultures in the 21st Century.
Ancient Egypt
Archaeologists have discovered artefacts from Ancient Egypt which is based on the heart symbol. The Ancient Egyptians would adorn the deceased with heart-shaped amulets, believed to provide the body with vitality. Interestingly, despite this, the Ancient Egyptians didn’t know what the purpose of the heart was in the human body.
When important figures such as Tutankhamun and Cleopatra were buried, many of their vital organs were removed and placed in Canopic Jars; the heart symbol which we recognise today is somewhat different as the Ancient Egyptian symbol for a heart isn’t dissimilar from the shape of these jars.
Ancient Rome
Many people believe that the heart symbol was also used in jewellery in the Roman Empire. It is possible that the heart symbol represented Nimrod, an ancient Roman figure, the son of Noah, but there isn’t a great deal of evidence to support this.
North Africa
A particularly interesting theory is that the first use of the heart symbol in jewellery originated in North Africa. Many people believe that the heart symbol was first used in Cyrene, North Africa, in the seventh century. A rare plant called Silphium grew in this area and made the area so wealthy that it was eventually harvested to extinction during this period. Ancient coins from this period have since been discovered which feature an image of a seed pod, which looks almost identical to the heart symbol we are familiar with today.
Georgian & Victorian Eras
The heart symbol has not always been a black and white representation of the love between two people; when placed alongside various gemstones in jewellery throughout the Georgian and Victorian eras, the heart symbol’s meaning varies. In the 1800s, if two hearts were set alongside one another, this meant “betrothed together”, and they were often placed next to either sapphires, rubies or diamonds. If sapphires were added to the piece, this was to represent fidelity, meanwhile, rubies represented passion and diamonds displayed endurance.
Many Victorian pieces of jewellery used the heart symbol alongside other symbols. If a flame was used as part of the jewellery, this represented passion, and if flowers were incorporated into the piece, this was believed to display fidelity and love.
Ireland
More recently, dating back to the early 1800s, Irish Claddagh ring features a heart symbol, clasped in two hands. These rings are traditionally used as friendship, engagement and wedding rings in Irish culture.
Contemporary Jewellery
The heart symbol is more popular than ever in contemporary jewellery. Having been used as a symbol of love for potentially thousands of years, what better gift to give someone this Valentine’s Day?
To see our latest stock of jewellery for Valentines’ Day gift inspiration, pop into your local Cuttings branch in either Margate or Ramsgate and our friendly team will be happy to advise you.