Guest imported_Tesseract Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Female Bum Behind Valentine Symbol? By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News Feb. 13, 2006 — 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, according to a professor of psychology who studied the origin, history and symbolism of the Feb.14 holiday. Galdino Pranzarone of Roanoke College in Salem, Va., told Discovery News that he analyzed "essential literary and speculative evidence from mythology and secondary sources," which led to his theory. He believes one rather obvious bit of evidence is that the heart symbol does not directly duplicate the heart human organ. "The twin lobes of the stylized version correspond roughly to the paired auricles and ventricles (chambers) of the anatomical heart," Pranzarone said, but added that the organ "is never bright red in color" and its "shape does not have the invagination at the top nor the sharp point at the base." Pranzarone indicated that the ancient Greeks and Romans could have originated the link between human female anatomy and the heart shape. The Greeks, he said, 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," he explained. "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." He admitted that 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 he said, "I think 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 Pranzarone indicated also mirrors the basic outline of female breasts. In the past, other researchers, such as art historian Erwin Panofsky, have claimed that the Valentine heart shape dates to prehistoric times and was first observed in Spanish Stone Age cave paintings. During the 14th century, a handful of scholars described the heart as being an inverted pinecone with its tip pointing downwards. This description was even included in the earliest editions of "Gray's Anatomy." The noted Italian artist Giotto (1267-1337) also sometimes depicted hearts like pinecones. Eric Jager is a professor of English at the University of California at Los Angeles and the author of "The Book of the Heart," which includes information on early heart imagery. Jager told Discovery News, "I think Dr. Pranzarone's theory is very amusing," but suggested that other historians might have mulled over the buttocks/heart shape link before. Pranzarone admitted that "any interpretation of this kind of material is purely speculative. We were not there when goddesses, symbols and paintings were originally created. He added, "Hey, it's only Valentine's Day. Most people enjoy it and don't get too serious about it — unless you don't get the Valentine you were expecting." http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20060...html?source=rss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lord_casek Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 very cool. symbolism prevails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neskoner Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 awesome.I heart teh buttocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dumy Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 haha..bring on the ass shots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CACashRefund Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I see you... Tom@AcclaimMagazine Rookie Member Group: Member Joined: 22-January 06 Status User is online! (Active in topic: Origins of <3) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the shitz Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 i dont get it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Jug Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 i wish <3 didnt hurt so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlwaysBombin Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Originally posted by CACashRefund@Feb 15 2006, 07:20 PM I see you... Tom@AcclaimMagazine Rookie Member Group: Member Joined: 22-January 06 Status User is online! (Active in topic: Origins of <3) Quoted post Wassup with people always callin this guy out when they see him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CACashRefund Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Originally posted by Gigantic Jug@Feb 15 2006, 06:24 PM i wish <3 didnt hurt so much. Quoted post die :hatred: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Jug Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 i did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neskoner Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 its ok gigantic,we all do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Jug Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 im sure you dont have feelings for satan himself. so no... you all arent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CACashRefund Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 we all do, youre just full of teen angst its ok youll outgrow it in a couple of years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantic Jug Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 dont act like YOU KNOW ME NIGGAAAAAA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grc Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CACashRefund Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Originally posted by Gigantic Jug@Feb 15 2006, 07:34 PM dont act like YOU KNOW ME NIGGAAAAAA. Quoted post :haha: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villain Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 So aphrodite had the ghetto booty? Makes sense. lol Though the heart symbol is much older and far more widespread as art historian Erwin Panofsky alludes to, this is an interesting interpretation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tough Love Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 good old ass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kr430n5_666 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_Tesseract Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kr430n5_666 Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest j Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 </3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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