Love is celebrated with Made of Hearts, the latest stamp in the U.S. Postal Service’s Love series. Hearts are used to signify more than romantic or eternal love. Hearts are universally understood to symbolize devotion, affection and love.

The connection between sentiment and the heart symbol is at least as old as the ancient Greeks. Images of ivy, grape and fig leaves — all shaped like the heart — were crafted in art and on pottery to symbolize abiding love. Use of the heart as an expression of romantic constancy is also reflected in the concept of courtly love that was the fashion in the Middle Ages.

Today, the heart is used to signify more than romantic or eternal love. Hearts are featured in many slogans that denote a love of place and in the logo designs of many businesses and organizations. A favorite motif in art, hearts are design elements frequently found on furniture, jewelry, textiles, shoes and clothing. The heart is universally understood to symbolize devotion, affection and love.