Description
Origin of the heart symbol. In the Middle Ages, scientific facts were not very strict and they did little research themselves. They blindly adopted what Greek scientists had discovered, and this wasn't always successful. For example, the Greek scientists Aristotle and Galen weren't entirely sure about the shape of the heart. This confused the people of the Middle Ages and created a mixture of both perspectives. They depicted the heart with an indentation and a pointed tip. This shape was depicted so often that it eventually became commonplace. Despite the fact that the heart's true appearance later became known worldwide, the symbol has remained unchanged since then. In fact, we owe the heart symbol to the indolence of the people of the Middle Ages. There are also those who believe in a different origin. For example, they believe the female body was the inspiration for the heart symbol, with the arches representing a woman's round breasts or buttocks. Others believe the symbol was inspired by the herb Silphium, which has leaves in the familiar heart shape. This herb was once associated with healing and love.
The heart hasn't always symbolized love. The Aztecs, for example, believed the heart served as food for the Sun God, while the ancient Egyptians believed conscience and intelligence were stored in the heart. The image below dates from the 15th century and is the first known visual source in which the heart symbolizes the love one feels for another. In the 16th century, the heart symbol became popular in Europe and became the well-known symbol of love.
Jade is the common name for two minerals used as gemstones: jadeite and nephrite. Fake jade also exists in the economy, but is less valuable than genuine jade. The two can be distinguished by the fact that genuine jade changes color over time after years of contact with human skin. Jade comes in many different colors: green, brown, black, or cloud white, ranging from very light to very dark. Like soapstone and chalcedony, jade has been cut and worked by the Chinese for thousands of years. Originally used as tools, jade became popular as jewelry during the Han Dynasty. The only place where nephrite is found in China is in Xi'an, near the city of Khotan. In Chinese culture, only worked jade is considered valuable. A lump of unworked jade is therefore of lesser value. The Sanzijing mentions it as a comparison to education: "If one does not polish jade, it is not a precious thing. If a person does not learn, his life has no meaning, for he does not know the norms, values, and respect of life and will therefore never become talented" (玉不琢不成器人不學不知義). Jade is considered a valuable stone that wards off evil forces. If one wears a piece of jade on one's body for a long time, for example, on a red string around the neck, one will see the jade slowly change color. During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the medals were adorned with jade.
