A Heart Tattoo History
The heart tattoo design may be the most popular within the past century. This simple design, consisting of 2 curves running down, meeting at a tip is just about the most popular shape sold for a tattoo design, rivaled only by the cross.
The heart can be seen in many places. Its century long evolution is seen on the bright red playing card - is common in the present art, architecture, and being a universal sign of cardiology, and in religion. Today it is the symbol of love.
The 1st recorded demonstration of the heart shape goes back to 3000 B.C. and is found among the baked clay goblets housed in the Museum of Kabul in Afghanistan. But unlike today’s heart symbol, the decorations on the goblets were green, not red. The heart here is fashioned after fig leaves. Later it also included ivy leaves.
These symbols continued to fluorish and evolve, appearing 1000 years later on Cretan clay vessels. This common pottery decoration of tendrils of ivy, flowers, and heart shaped leaves continued in the 8th century and they appeared as ornate decorations for the handles of Corinthian vases.
These decorations were often described in Christian teachings, and even Jesus was depicted being a vine having an unselfish, heavenly heart. This theme of vines continued throughout history often appearing on Roman tombstones and Christian graves, symbolizing eternal love beyond the grave. This is how the heart began the transformation into its current design.
The red heart as we know it first appeared in Roman paintings from the 12th and 13th centuries, the formerly green ivy leaves now the color of warm blood, signifying all the best, health, and love. This red heart decoration quickly spread across Europe, led partly through the Catholic Church with all the adoption in the image in the Sacred Heart.
The heart first appeared on palying cards druing the 15th century, replacing the goblets available on Italian tarot cards.
Interestingly enough, the present day heart of Eastern culture, evolved from a fig tree too. Gautama found enlightenment while mediating with a fig tree and became Buddha. But here the heart represents spiritual enlightenment, not love.
This is simply a brief introduction to the unique transformation of a simple leaf on the universally accepted symbol of affection, evolving over millennium.
Today’s love of heart tattoo design is continuing to grow.
Heart tattoo designs are normal on both males and females and may be incorporated into any kind and magnificence, and may be placed on any part of the body.
photo credit: The Pug Father
