A Valentine from Royston Cave.

Apart from the symbol of the cross, the shape of a heart appears more times within the cave than any other. Their presence can help us determine which time period they may, or more importantly, could not have been carved.

It is not known when the shape we are accustomed to seeing today was first used, but it is thought could have been a variation of foliage, such as ivy leaves, which was used to symbolise fertility or eternal life in ancient artworks. In the early medieval period, the symbol of an upside-down pinecone was also used. The French romance manuscript ‘Roman de la poire’ by Blaison, written in 1250, displays on the cover a lover offering a damsel his heart, represented by the pinecone, pointed upwards. Later, painted in 1305, the fresco painting of Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto, also had the heart portrayed by a pinecone.

Roman de la poire.

The Fishpool hoard, discovered in 1966, had artefacts dating to 1464 which had within it a brooch, shaped with two rounded lobes that curved downwards to a sharp point, like the heart shape with which we are familiar with today. By the 1500’s this had become the recognised symbol of the heart and was used by Martin Luther from the 1520’s to create his symbol, that of a red heart with a black cross inside. Later, in the 15^th century, the red heart was also seen on playing cards and heraldry.

As well as the shape of the heart changing over the centuries, so did the symbolism. The heart was often referred to in the bible, but it represented the inner self. In the 12^th century King Richard I was famously referred to as The Lionheart, a name bestowed to him when he was 19 due his personal courage on the battlefield and by leading from the front with aggressive tactics, rather than being associated with the emotion of love. It was not until the 14^th century that the symbolism changed towards devotion and adoration.

From the Victorian times onwards, helped by their obsession with sending cards, the symbol of the heart and its association with romantic love, gained popularity and is still used today as a token of affection. The heart is one of the most popular emojis used by mobile phone users, and the different colours used have meant the symbolism for this shape is still evolving; red symbolises romance, blue for peace and yellow for friendship.❤️💙💛

Within the cave there are etched double hearts, hearts within a hand, or hearts displayed on the tunics of figures which are carved on the chalk walls.

Double hearts on cave wall

The "Heart in Hand" is a key symbol for the Odd Fellows, a fraternal order which is distinct from the Freemasons. This represents charity, sincerity, and open-hearted giving, and often appears on staffs carried in processions or on their aprons. While not a standard symbol within Freemasonry, there have also been instances where it has been adopted in their lodges too. As this image is also seen as a carving in the cave, it has been theorised by some that the cave may have had some connection to a fraternal order in the past and possibly used as a meeting place.

Odd Fellows Apron with heart in hand motive

Heart in Hand on cave wall

For whatever the reason the hearts appear within the cave, for our visitors it can be seen as a welcome, recognisable symbol that can maybe help connect them to the person who one day, many centuries ago, decided to express their love, or devotion, by drawing a heart on a cave wall.