The familiar double-lobed heart symbol seen on Valentine's
Day cards and
candy was inspired by the shape of human
female buttocks as seen from the rear. The twin lobes of the stylized version correspond roughly to the paired auricles and ventricles (chambers) of the anatomical heart, is never bright red in color and its shape does not have the invagination at the top nor the sharp point at the
base. The ancient Greeks and Romans originated the link between human
female anatomy and the heart shape. The Greeks associated beauty with the curves of the human
female behind. The Greek goddess of beauty, Aphrodite, was beautiful all over, but was unique in that her buttocks were especially
beautiful. Her shapely rounded hemispheres were so appreciated by the Greeks that they built a special temple Aphrodite Kallipygos, which literally meant, 'Goddess with the
Beautiful Buttocks.' This was probably the only religious building in the world that was dedicated to buttock worship. It was possible that the heart symbol represented both male and
female glutes (the group that includes the three large muscles of each buttock that control thigh movement) but the Valentine's heart more closely fits the rounded female anatomy rather than the angular, compact and slimmer male
butt. Valentine's Day-type heart symbols first became popular in 15th century Europe as a suit designation on playing cards. It is possible that the Renaissance fondness for classical literature and history brought forth the Greek interest in the female buttocks shape, which also mirrors the basic outline of female breasts.
