The real answer is that no-one really knows! As bizarre as it may sound, there's no one definitive answer to your question - although there's plenty of speculation.
Here's a few possible origins for the heart shape:
A human heart - is the most obvious origin for the heart symbol. Although a real human heart looks nothing like the symmetrically perfect icon - it does share the same color!
Various Body parts - have also been linked to the heart shape. Everything from "lady bits" through to female breasts have been alluded to as "heart-like in appearance". You can even add animal testicles to that list, as men used to offer women a pair of testicles from their favorite livestock as a token of their virility.
The arch of Cupid's bow is another popular theory when looking for the answer to why love hearts look the way they do.
Cupid (who is also known as Eros in Greek Mythology) was supposedly able to fill people with uncontrollable love and desire by firing arrows at them. However, it is the curved arch of his bow that possibly gave rise to the heart shape.
Ever seen swans kissing or "necking"? They behave like this as part of a bonding ritual - and the two arched necks of the graceful white birds form non-other than the shape of a heart!
Here's a few possible origins for the heart shape:
A human heart - is the most obvious origin for the heart symbol. Although a real human heart looks nothing like the symmetrically perfect icon - it does share the same color!
Various Body parts - have also been linked to the heart shape. Everything from "lady bits" through to female breasts have been alluded to as "heart-like in appearance". You can even add animal testicles to that list, as men used to offer women a pair of testicles from their favorite livestock as a token of their virility.
The arch of Cupid's bow is another popular theory when looking for the answer to why love hearts look the way they do.Cupid (who is also known as Eros in Greek Mythology) was supposedly able to fill people with uncontrollable love and desire by firing arrows at them. However, it is the curved arch of his bow that possibly gave rise to the heart shape.
Ever seen swans kissing or "necking"? They behave like this as part of a bonding ritual - and the two arched necks of the graceful white birds form non-other than the shape of a heart!
