Mesoptamian feelings revealed....

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.iflscience.com/ancient-mesopotamians-felt-anger-in-their-feet-and-love-in-their-knees-tablets-reveal-77338

Blimey...who knew

[Jim Webster]

Actually it's something that does seem to vary with time and place 

Isaiah 16:11 is translated in the King James Version as "Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh."

At some point it was realised that the Hebrews considered the stomach/guts to be the seat of emotion, so the NIV translates it now as "My heart laments for Moab like a harp, my inmost being for Kir Hareseth."

Doubtless at some point in the future, distant generations will mock us for considering the heart to be the centre of emotion as everybody knows it's the elbows!

[Keraunos]

I recall Harry Secombe recounting a story of taking singing lessons from an Italian tenor who kept insisting "You must breath through your stomach and sing from your feet".

[Erpingham]

As Elizabeth I said

"I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king"

We still, of course, speak of gut feelings.

[Imperial Dave]

I prefer the black adder version

 

[RichT]

The role of internal organs in emotion is still common in everyday speech. Generous people are big-hearted. Brave people have guts. Cowardly people are lily-livered. Angry people vent their spleen.

[Imperial Dave]

Yep I've often been criticised for having an angry big toe....

[Keraunos]

Yep I've often been criticised for having an angry big toe....

Isn't that gout?

[Imperial Dave]

Probably