The history of Easter eggs: a tradition longer than Christianity

Have you ever wondered why we paint eggs on Easter? Apart from the fact that it's just beautiful and very photogenic for Instagram? Spoiler alert: the history of Easter eggs is so ancient that the first findings surprise even experienced researchers with their age. Even in early times, people considered the egg a magical object. In pagan cultures, eggs were colored and sacrificed to the gods (but fortunately, we limit ourselves to just coloring them).

The history of Easter eggs began long before anyone exclaimed, “Christ is risen!”

In ancient cultures, the egg symbolized life and rebirth. Egyptians, Persians, and even Romans used eggs in their rituals to celebrate the return of spring.

For the ancient Egyptians, the egg was a symbol of the universe, the union of earth and sky.
The Persians used to exchange eggs on New Year's Day (which, incidentally, coincided with the spring equinox), symbolizing wishes for happiness and prosperity.
And the Romans considered eggs to be amulets and even put them in the foundations of new buildings to ensure good luck.

When Christianity became popular, the egg took on a new role. It began to symbolize the resurrection of Christ: the hard shell is the tomb, and the life inside is the miracle of rebirth.

So, an egg is not just a breakfast or an ingredient for an omelet. It symbolizes the beginning of something new, the living arising from the inanimate, and... actually, everything we celebrate at Easter.

Why did people start coloring eggs?

As we said above, eggs were dyed with natural dyes in ancient times. There is also a Christian legend that says that Mary Magdalene gave the Roman emperor a red egg to symbolize the resurrection of Christ. In medieval Europe, eggs also played a special role in Easter traditions. During Lent, egg consumption was forbidden, so after Lent, eating eggs became a real celebration. People painted eggs in bright colors to emphasize their festivity and gave them to each other as a symbol of new life. Ukrainians did not stand aside either. Hand-painted eggs are called “pysanky” and by the motifs, peculiarities of colors and ornaments, as well as the way the image is applied to the shell, you can clearly identify the region in which the pysanka was made. The Petrykivka painting stands out here: an original and very colorful technique that is even included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.

Petrykivka painting: when an egg becomes an Art

Now let's move on to the most interesting thing - the Petrykivka painting. Petrykivka is a small village in the Dnipro region that has become a symbol of Ukrainian folk art, because almost every resident of Petrykivka is an artist, and over the years this painting has only improved, developed, and become more and more famous all over the world. Everything is painted here: from dishes to house walls, but Easter eggs in this style are something incredible!

Petrykivka's painting is easily recognizable by its bright colors, delicate flowers, and floral ornaments. Each stroke is a small story that tells about the nature, traditions, and soul of the Ukrainian people

How pysanky are made

Preparing the egg: First, the egg is washed, dried, and sometimes pre-dyed in a basic color. Nowadays, the wooden base is used more and more: it is much more durable, eco-friendly, and easier to process (wooden eggs are presented on our website).
Painting: craftsmen apply ornaments with a thin brush or even a finger (yes, yes, with a finger!). The peculiarity of the style is the use of natural honey-based paint, and the brushes are made of cat hair (without harming the cats, of course). Everything else depends on the artist's mood and imagination. Bizarre flowers bloom on the oval surface, greenery grows, fairy-tale animals smile... everything that can inspire the generous Ukrainian nature is transferred to pysanka.
Finish: to preserve the painting, the egg is covered with varnish (or wax, if it is a real egg, not a wooden one)

This is how this little work of art appears, looking as if someone took the Garden of Eden and transferred it directly onto an egg. This is a real art object that you want to hold in your hands and show to everyone you know, and perhaps pass on as a heritage because such handmade works only grow in value over time.

Symbolism of Easter egg colors

Of course, artists put a deep sacred meaning not only in the ornaments of the painting but also in the background color of the Easter egg. Here are the meanings of some of the most popular colors:

Red - life, fire, and blood.
Yellow - prosperity (gold) and the sun.
Green - spring and nature.
Blue - health and the sky.

Why do we promote Petrykivka painting?

Egg painting in the Petrykivka style is not only a tradition but also a way to preserve our culture. And Ukrgifts.com is our way of introducing this incredible culture to people around the world. Each ornament, each stroke is a part of history that is passed down from generation to generation. Just imagine: a mother teaches her daughter the technique of egg painting, and a grandmother teaches her grandchildren, and thus this tradition has been preserved and developed over the centuries. Once upon a time, people put the first simple dashes on the surface, and now incredible Easter decorations are created by craftsmen. But the essence remains unchanged, the symbol of spring, life, and its rebirth pleases you every year.

Some interesting facts about Easter traditions around the world

Many countries around the world have their own unique egg traditions:

In Poland, there is the tradition of “Śmigus-dyngus,” when people pour water on each other and exchange painted eggs.
In Greece, eggs are dyed red to symbolize the blood of Christ.
In the United States, “egg races” are popular, competitions where children roll eggs down a hill, trying to get to the bottom as quickly as possible.

There are also quite interesting records:

The world's largest Easter egg was created in Ukraine in 2010. It was 2.5 meters high and weighed 980 kg!
In 2021, an omelet made of 50 thousand eggs was cooked in Italy and entered the Guinness Book of Records.

Bottom line.

So, Easter eggs are not just about decorating a basket, a festive table, or searching for “treasures” hidden in the yard. It's a story of life, art, and a little bit of magic. What you buy on our website is not just a painted egg, it's a small piece of history... and perhaps a work of art if it was painted by someone from Petrykivka.

Happy Easter, friends!