8 Symbols Of Love And Their Meanings
Numerous definitions of love have been written by famous people. Biologist Jeremy Griffith says that love is “unconditional selflessness,” which is supported by Leibniz by saying that love is “to be delighted by the happiness of another.” It is a condition of “absolute value,” according to Bertrand Russell.
Love, basically, is that intense feeling of deep affection. Romantically, it’s a bond shared by two people. Nothing is ever more universal than love. So here’s a list of symbols of love and their meaning.
8 Symbols Of Love And Their Meanings
1. Potiza
The potiza symbol came from the Taíno culture in Central America.
The potiza is a heart-shaped vessel usually covered with complex iconography, which includes both male and female attributes. The potiza’s neck is a representation of the phallus while the two lobes denote female breasts.
According to scholars, potizas were vessels used in storing water and fermenting wine made from Guáyiga juice. These vessels were then gifted by men to women as a form of declaration of their love. The Taíno people also used these water vessels in rituals and ceremonies.
The potiza symbol is shaped like such container. It served as a significant part of love among the Taíno Indians. This particular symbol is used mostly in tattoos to signify love.
Here is a selection of symbols of love – from the most common to the lesser known ones.
2. Heart
The heart symbol is hands down the universal and best-known symbol for love. It is an ideograph in the shape of a heart, symbolizing romantic love.
The heart symbol has been described as the core of one’s humanity. For the longest time, it has been used as the ultimate representation of love. But its meaning has gone beyond love and now it is also widely recognized as a symbol of joy, charity, caring, and compassion.
3. Mongko
The mongko is the highest symbol of the Hopi spiritual power, serving as proof to those who own it that they have completed their century-long migration.
The mongko symbol as is depicted as a flat piece of wood painted in white with two sections in it. The forked section is on the left, which is usually painted blue with blue lines.
This represents the plants that cover the Earth and water. The other section is stepped, which represents the three main guidelines in Hopi law: love, respect, and harmony.
A whole cob of corn attached to the center of the mongko is representative of man or humanity. Hanging from this cob is a sphere filled with soil, containing a small drop of water, then bound by a cotton net. This sphere is symbolic of the Earth and sea.
The turkey feathers tied to the wood denotes the fact that the wild turkey is part of the wilderness and that man will never fully understand this wilderness nor completely rule it.
The mongko symbol is associated with the highest spiritual power and it is believed by many to be divine.
4. Cupid
The word “Cupid” is from the Latin Cupīdō, meaning “passionate desire.” Cupid is known as the personification of love or the Latin amor.
In Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of desire and erotic love, as well as affection and attraction. He is the son of Venus and Mars, the goddess of love and the god of war, respectively. According to legends, he shoots magical arrows at both gods and humans, which causes them to fall in love.
Cupid is depicted as a winged baby with a golden bow and arrows. His figure has long been used to symbolize love. It is the most famous symbol associated with Valentine’s Day, along with the heart symbol. It started to be featured on Valentine’s Day cards back in the late 1800s and its popularity hasn’t waned to this day.
5. Eternal Lovers
The symbol of the eternal lovers is represented by a couple of zoomorphic figures – birds usually – sharing food beak-to-beak or in a possible love scene.
Eternal love was important for the Taíno people. This symbol also denotes the fertility of motherhood.
The eternal lovers symbol also means solidarity, equality, and fellowship among the tribe. Since private property did not exist in Taíno society, everything that was grown and killed were shared by the entire tribe.
6. Swans
Swans are among the largest flying birds, reaching up to over 1.5 m. in length and weigh over 15 kg. They are cousins with geese and ducks.
Swans are famous for mating for life and the pair bond between them is normally very strong. Rare cases of “divorce” happen, though. BBC reported a swan couple splitting, which may have been due to failure to breed after two years.
Another interesting fact about these monogamous pairs is that they typically bond even before they’re old enough for mating.
Sounds like true love? Or soul mates, maybe?
Then it is not surprising that swans are among the most famous symbols of love. A pair of swans is also symbolic of soul mates. In mythology, the Roman Venus and her Greek counterpary Aphrodite, goddess of love and desire, symbolize a swan.
As a symbol of love, the favorite depiction is a pair of swans face to face with each other with their beaks connecting and necks forming the shape of a heart.
7. Osram Ne Nsoromma
Osram Ne Nsoromma, a Bono Adinkra symbol of love and affection, is interpreted to literally mean “Moon and Star.” It is represented by a half moon with a star hanging within the circumference of the moon.
Osram Ne Nsoromma symbol denotes love, bonding, and faithfulness in marriage among the Bono people of West Africa. They are sometimes incorporated into walls and other architectural features, but more often they are printed in fabrics – typically the Adrinka, a cotton cloth made in that region of Africa – and used in pottery. Recently, however, the Osram Ne Nsoromma symbol has also become a favorite among tattoo artists.
Osram Ne Nsoromma represents two different powerful objects of creation – Moon and Star – merged into one and coexisting in the sky to produce light or brightness at night. This symbolizes feelings of harmony in a man and woman’s relationship when they are deeply in love.
8. Sailor’s Knot
The sailor’s knot is an important Celtic symbol based on a pastime by sailors that eventually became a maritime tradition. This knotwork is not only symbolical but functional as well since it is used in lifting cargo and cleaning the deck.
The sailor’s knot is also known as the Celtic lover’s knot. As a symbol, it stands for uniting two into one and represents eternal love.
Today, bracelets with sailor’s knot patterns are popular maritime accessories. The sailor’s knot is symbolic of summer and the sea. It is thousands of years old and is not about to get old anytime soon.
Bracelets with the sailor’s knot patterns were worn and used by sailors while working at sea. Upon coming home, they brought these bracelets to their loved ones as good-luck charms.
The sailor’s knot symbol is believed to give its owner or wearer good luck. It is also used as a talisman to keep sailors away from any dangers while at sea. But most importantly, this knot is a symbol of deep love and affection.
While it is simple to tie and doesn’t require much skill to create like Solomon’s knot, the sailor’s knot makes one of the strongest knots. This is symbolical of a tie that binds stronger under a lot of strain and with the passage of time. Hence, the sailor’s knot came to symbolize the bonds of everlasting love.
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