The Ornamented Easter Egg

"Omne vivum ex ovo," a proverb coined by the Romans meaning, "All life comes from an egg." The egg is a symbol of fertility and new life and is considered nature's perfect package. During the span of its history, it has represented medicine, mystery, and magic. Though it has only been within the last century that decorated eggs were exchanged as Easter gifts, the universal symbol of Easter dates back to Pagan times throughout the world. To Pagans, the egg represented the rebirth of the earth and was cherished as a symbol of the universe. Because the egg was a symbol of new life, it was believed to have special powers.

The Pagans would bury it under the foundations of buildings to ward off evil, French brides would step upon it before crossing the threshold of their new homes, Roman women would carry it on their shoulders during their pregnancy to predict the sex of their unborn child; Egyptians would bury it in their tombs; and the Greeks would place eggs on top of graves. To some, the egg also served as a medicine to cure or heal certain diseases. It was believed that the egg had healing powers and was a figure of friendship and loyalty. Because of this belief, the ornamented egg has become a popular get-well gift or a gift of courtship. During the early 1800's the egg was also substituted for birth certificates. An egg would be dyed with a solid color then designed with the recipient's name and date of birth. These "birth certificates" were honored in a court of law as evidence of one's age and identity.

In most cultures today, the Easter egg has represented the birth and resurrection of Christ. With the initiation of Christianity, the imagery of the egg changed to represent the rebirth of man and not the rebirth of the earth. One legend states that when Mary Magdalene went to anoint the body of Jesus she took with her a basket of eggs to serve as a feast. When she arrived and uncovered the eggs, the white shells had inexplicably taken on a rainbow of colors. Another legend tells of the Virgin Mary giving eggs to the soldiers at the cross. She wept as she handed over the eggs and begged the soldiers to be less cruel to her son. As the tears of the Virgin Mary fell upon the eggs, they became speckled with radiant colors.

A goldsmith called Peter Carl Faberge created the most famous decorated eggs, known as the Faberge Eggs. In 1883, Czar Alexander III of Russia commissioned the eggs as gifts for his wife, the Empress Marie. The first Faberge egg, presented in 1886, was an egg within an egg. The outside shell was made of platinum, enameled with white, and only two and half inches in length. When opened, it revealed a smaller egg that was enameled with gold. The smaller, golden egg also opened to exhibit a jeweled replica of the Imperial Crown. Only fifty-seven Faberge eggs were ever created and are treasured today at a value of over four million dollars each. Forty-three of the fifty-seven eggs are now held in museums and private collections. During the middle ages, decorating and coloring eggs to celebrate Easter became a popular custom. There are accounts stating that in the year 1920, Edward I of England recorded large sums of expenses that had gone towards purchasing Easter eggs. He had them gold-leafed and decorated to give away as gifts. Different cultures have established their own ways of decorating Easter eggs. For example, Greek Easter eggs are often colored in crimson to represent the blood of Christ. No matter what culture or country, the vivid colors that embellish the Easter egg eternally signify the sunlight of spring and celebrate the equinox.