When you’re crafting jewelry or making just about anything creative with your hands, it pays to know about the symbols for love and other thematic signs that you can incorporate into your work. Here at Xinar, we believe that the more diverse choices crafters have, the better the results. So, whether you’re using charms for bracelets or necklaces, you can use our 925 sterling silver charms for every imaginable project.
Symbols for love are essential because love themes will always be popular with people regardless of their age and where they come from.
Popular Symbols for Love
Heart
The heart is one of the most famous symbols of love, recognized almost anywhere. The ancient silphium plant is the source of the familiar heart shape. Near the Greek colony of Cyrene in North Africa grew a giant fennel variety. It served not only as a contraceptive but also as a medicinal and flavoring spice. As a result, sexuality and, by extension, romantic affection became associated with it. See our Far Fetched imports heart charm to see what we mean.
It has been speculated that the shape was inspired by the anatomy of the water lily leaf or ivy, as well as the breasts or buttocks of a human. The earliest dated representation dates back to the 1250s. It first appeared in Roman de la Poire, a French romance novel. Others, however, wonder if it wasn’t just an inverted pear.
Roses
The rose, with its distinctive thorns and fragrant blossoms, is widely regarded as a symbol of success, finality, and perfection. The long, thorny stems are worth it because the flower at the end is stunningly beautiful and utterly intoxicating. Roses symbolize the triumph over adversity that leads to the discovery of one’s own inner harmony, union, and happiness.
Heraldry, badges, and coats of arms frequently feature roses because of their significance. The house, for example, the York, whose crest fea
Initiates into the “mysteries,” or pre-Christian religions would wear roses during ceremonies. This tradition dates back to ancient Egypt.
Swans
Swans, found in nearly every region, are stunning white waterfowl much larger than ducks and geese. These birds have gained widespread acclaim and are often regarded as friendly by humans.
To see a swan is to be reminded of love, dedication, courtship, precognition, beauty, kindness, and eloquence. Seeing one of these birds is a good omen and a sign of contentment and tranquility in many cultures. They are also thought to be shapeshifters by some cultures. Within the realm of symbolism, swans are highly regarded. In the realm of birdlife, they possess one of the earliest and mightiest souls.
The swans are a symbol of love, first and foremost. They are the epitome of the term “lovebirds,” as they stay together for life. When two swans mate, they usually stay together for the rest of their lives and raise a new brood of cygnets yearly. When one dies, the other partner grieves for a very long time; some swans even choose to spend the rest of their lives alone instead of looking for a new partner. One of the courtship rituals performed by swans also presents us with a picture of love and romance. The couple forms a perfect heart by facing each other and forming an arch with their necks to be closer together.
Doves
Doves, usually white domestic pigeons, are widely used to symbolize peace, freedom, and love. Doves feature prominently in the symbolism of militaristic and pacifist organizations, as well as the religions of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and paganism. In ancient Mesopotamia, the goddess Inanna-Ishtar represented love, sexuality, and war; the dove was a common animal symbol of her.
Doves appear on Inanna-related cult objects as early as the second millennium BC. The dove symbolizes peace, gentleness, and romance worldwide because of the bird’s natural beauty and soft reassuring voice. The gentle and mighty dove has inspired and enchanted people of all ages with its many admirable qualities. However, the city pigeon is a dove just as much as any snowy white bird of peace, which many people fail to recognize.
Doves symbolize benevolence, calm, serenity, and innocence in many cultures. The dove represents all things gentle, innocent, and passionate. Doves are released at weddings to symbolize the couple’s eternal love for one another. The release of doves is a touching and symbolic way to honor the memory of a deceased loved one at funerals and memorials.
Claddagh
The Claddagh Ring originated from the Fede, also known as a faith ring, which was worn on the finger. Clasped hands have been used for this purpose as far back as the Roman Empire, and the rings typically come in a set of two that slide together like a pair of hands.
The widespread European jewelry custom of wearing a symbol of eternal love and commitment is said to have originated in the West of Ireland, where a unique variant was developed and eventually came to be known as the Claddagh Ring. In a presentational gesture, the hands crown a heart they are holding.
The tradition of wearing a Claddagh ring begins with the mother and continues with the eldest daughter. However, the Claddagh ring has recently been given as a coming-of-age present by parents or grandparents to their young offspring. Engagement rings and wedding rings made in the shape of a Claddagh are also popular choices.
Cupid
Cupid was born to Venus (the Roman equivalent of Venus) and Mars (the Roman equivalent of the Greek god of war) and is, therefore, widely associated with the Roman concept of love. However, myths and texts from that period reveal that she was worshiped as the goddess of sexual activity and reproduction.
The Latin word cure — from which we get the name Cupid — means to want or hanker after something. Cupid is a figure of contradictions, a symbol of conflict and desire since he has the body of a baby but is armed with deadly weapons and has parents who are both love and war.
Sadly, this rich history isn’t always remembered or incorporated into modern Valentine’s Day activities. For example, St. Valentine of Rome is the original patron saint of Valentine’s holiday. However, the courtly romance of holiday advertisements may have more in common with the Middle Ages than with ancient Rome, as Candida Moss, a scholar of theology and late antiquity, explains.
The winged Cupid was popular among medieval and Renaissance artists and writers, but he represented more than just romantic love.
