Egg Cetera #6: Hunting for the world's oldest decorated eggs | University of Cambridge". Cam.ac.uk. 2012-04-10. Archived from the original on 2013-09-28 . Retrieved 2013-03-31. Your Guide to the Food and Traditions of Greek Orthodox Easter". Archived from the original on 2016-10-13 . Retrieved 2014-12-10. a b "Easter Eggs - Egg Rolling". Inventors.about.com. 2012-04-09. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012 . Retrieved 2012-09-24. Newall, Venetia (1971). An egg at Easter: a folklore study. Routledge & K. Paul. p.216. ISBN 9780710068453. In Russian tradition an egg, which she held in her hand, turned red, as a proof of the Resurrection. Eggs in Christianity carry a Trinitarian symbolism as shell, yolk, and albumen are three parts of one egg. [16] According to many sources, the Christian custom of Easter eggs was adopted from Persian Nowruz tradition into the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained them with red colouring "in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at His crucifixion". [7] [17] [6] [8] [9] The Christian Church officially adopted the custom, regarding the eggs as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus, with the Roman Ritual, the first edition of which was published in 1610 but which has texts of much older date, containing among the Easter Blessings of Food, one for eggs, along with those for lamb, bread, and new produce. [8] [9]

The practice of decorating eggshells is quite ancient, [12] with decorated, engraved ostrich eggs found in Africa which are 60,000 years old. [13] In the pre-dynastic period of Egypt and the early cultures of Mesopotamia and Crete, eggs were associated with death and rebirth, as well as with kingship, with decorated ostrich eggs, and representations of ostrich eggs in gold and silver, were commonly placed in graves of the ancient Sumerians and Egyptians as early as 5,000 years ago. [14] These cultural relationships may have influenced early Christian and Islamic cultures in those areas, as well as through mercantile, religious, and political links from those areas around the Mediterranean. [15] Red-coloured Easter egg with Christian cross, from the Saint Kosmas Aitolos Greek Orthodox Monastery Morante, Coco (May 30, 2019). "How To Dye Easter Eggs with Onion Skins". Kitchn. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29 . Retrieved 2019-03-19. The Neopagan holiday of Ostara occurs at roughly the same time as Easter. While it is often claimed that the use of painted eggs is an ancient, pre-Christian component of the celebration of Ostara, there are no historical accounts that ancient celebrations included this practice, apart from the Old High German lullaby which is believed by most to be a modern fabrication. Rather, the use of painted eggs has been adopted under the assumption that it might be a pre-Christian survival. In fact, modern scholarship has been unable to trace any association between eggs and a supposed goddess named Ostara before the 19th century, when early folklorists began to speculate about the possibility. [61] During Paschaltide, in some traditions the Pascal greeting with the Easter egg is even extended to the deceased. On either the second Monday or Tuesday of Pascha, after a memorial service people bring blessed eggs to the cemetery and bring the joyous paschal greeting, "Christ has risen", to their beloved departed (see Radonitza). Anderson, F.L.M., 1864, Seven Months' Residence in Russian Poland in 1868, London:Macmillan and Co.Photos: Painted eggs across Tehran". The other Iran. 2016-03-26. Archived from the original on 2018-04-01 . Retrieved 2018-04-02. a b c Lewis, Stephen (11 April 2020). "The history behind the Easter pace eggs at York's Castle Museum". York Press. Archived from the original on 2021-04-04 . Retrieved 2021-02-16. Treasures from Royal Tombs of Ur By Richard L. Zettler, Lee Horne, Donald P. Hansen, Holly Pittman 1998 pgs 70-72 a b c d Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 5. T.B. Noonan. 1881. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023 . Retrieved 7 April 2012. The early Christians of Mesopotamia had the custom of dyeing and decorating eggs at Easter. They were stained red, in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at His crucifixion. The Church adopted the custom, and regarded the eggs as the emblem of the resurrection, as is evinced by the benediction of Pope Paul V., about 1610, which reads thus: "Bless, O Lord! we beseech thee, this thy creature of eggs, that it may become a wholesome sustenance to thy faithful servants, eating it in thankfulness to thee on account of the resurrection of the Lord." Thus the custom has come down from ages lost in antiquity.)

This established the tradition of Pancake Day being celebrated on Shrove Tuesday. This day, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday when Lent begins, is also known as Mardi Gras, a French phrase which translates as "Fat Tuesday" to mark the last consumption of eggs and dairy before Lent begins. a b c d e "History of the White House Easter Egg Roll". Archived from the original on 2022-11-20 . Retrieved 2022-11-20. Painted eggs are used at the Iranian spring holidays, the Nowruz that marks the first day of spring or Equinox, and the beginning of the year in the Persian calendar. It is celebrated on the day of the astronomical Northward equinox, which usually occurs on March 21 or the previous/following day depending on where it is observed. The painted eggs symbolize fertility and are displayed on the Nowruz table, called Haft-Seen together with various other symbolic objects. There are sometimes one egg for each member of the family. The ancient Zoroastrians painted eggs for Nowruz, their New Year celebration, which falls on the Spring equinox. The tradition continues among Persians of Islamic, Zoroastrian, and other faiths today. [60] The Nowruz tradition has existed for at least 2,500 years. The sculptures on the walls of Persepolis show people carrying eggs for Nowruz to the king. [ citation needed] This custom of the Easter egg, according to many sources, can be traced to early Christians of Mesopotamia, and from there it spread into Eastern Europe and Siberia through the Orthodox Churches, and later into Europe through the Catholic and Protestant Churches. [6] [7] [8] [9] Additionally, the widespread usage of Easter eggs, according to mediaevalist scholars, is due to the prohibition of eggs during Lent after which, on Easter, they have been blessed for the occasion. [10] [11] Legends [ edit ] Maria Magdalene, 1899 by Viktor M. Vasnetsov, depicted as one of the Myrrhbearers Christian traditions [ edit ]Hall, Stephanie (2017-04-06). "The Ancient Art of Decorating Eggs | Folklife Today". Library of Congress Blogs. Archived from the original on 2021-03-21 . Retrieved 2021-02-16. Natural Easter Eggs 3 Ways!". Natasha's Kitchen. 20 March 2013. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Forman, Daria (2015-03-28). "The Easter Traditions in Belarus". Eastbook.eu. Archived from the original on 2019-03-29 . Retrieved 2019-03-19.