Easter egg

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Easter eggs in Easter basket
Domestic coloring of boiled eggs

An Easter egg is a colored egg , often painted or decorated with motifs; usually a hard-boiled chicken egg that is traditionally given away or eaten at Easter .

Furthermore, decorative objects not intended for consumption are also referred to as Easter eggs, which are used as jewelry or sometimes as gifts during Easter . They are usually blown out eggs, mostly chicken eggs, or eggs made from other materials such as cardboard , plaster of paris , wood , natural stone or plastic . Depending on the purpose and type of material, such Easter eggs are mostly also colored, painted in color or colored and usually provided with decorations in a variety of ways. The colorfully wrapped chocolate eggs, which are offered in large quantities, are also Easter eggs.

history

Red Easter eggs from North Macedonia

Decorating eggshells is much older than the Christian tradition, as evidenced by 60,000 year old finds of decorated ostrich eggs from southern Africa. Ornate ostrich eggs, which are 5,000 years old, have also been found in ancient Sumerian and Egyptian tombs. Painted eggs as grave goods are also known from European antiquity. The early Christians of Mesopotamia painted eggs red to commemorate the blood of Christ shed at the crucifixion . There were practical reasons why the eggs were colored differently. Due to the fasting requirement of the Catholic Church, no eggs were allowed to be eaten in addition to meat from Ash Wednesday until Easter. Since the fasting period lasts over six weeks, the preservation was carried out by hard boiling the eggs. To distinguish older eggs from younger ones, they were colored differently. Different colored eggs were available for consumption on Easter Sunday.

More recently, hard-boiled eggs are sold almost exclusively colored in the manner of Easter eggs all year round.

Christianity

Easter food blessing in Poland

In Christian iconography , the egg is one of the symbols for the resurrection of Jesus Christ . Some authors compare the opening of the bowl with opening the empty grave on Easter morning. The egg also appears in pictures of Mary in the background or as a border motif as a reference to the conception of Christ by the Holy Spirit .

In the 12th century the Catholic Church introduced the Benedictio ovorum , the blessing of eggs or Easter dishes . At the time of Pope Paul V (1605–1621) the priest prayed at Easter mass: “Bless, Lord, we ask you, these eggs that you have created so that they can become wholesome food for your faithful servants who they are in To receive gratitude and in memory of the Lord's resurrection. "

The dyeing eggs for Easter is a tradition, that of Armenia via Russia is known to the Mediterranean through Central Europe. For Germany, colored eggs are first mentioned in the early 13th century. The word Easter egg appears in the 14th century to mean " interest egg to be delivered at Easter ". In 1553 there were reports of red eggs at the Easter consecration. In 1617 Puteanus spoke of inscribed, painted and etched Easter eggs in his Ovi enconium , as did Georg Franck in 1682 in the writing Satyrae, which also describes the hiding of Easter eggs for children and the Easter bunny . Another mention of the custom of hiding eggs for children comes from the diary of Abbot Jakob from Schuttern Monastery (Ortenaukreis) for the year 1691.

Other religions

Colorful eggs at the Nouruz festival

The inclusion of eggs in mystical and religious rites of many ancient peoples have researchers traced back to the age of the Babylonians. Colored eggs occur in the custom of the Nouruz festival in the Iranian area, especially among Zoroastrians and Yazidis .

The Chinese red eggs also symbolize a new beginning. They are often served to guests on a child's first birthday.

In the Koran , too , the egg is occasionally used as a symbol for virginity, e.g. B. Sura 37, verses 48-49.

Types of decoration

Easter bouquet
Saalfeld Easter egg tree

There are many different techniques for decorating blown or hard-boiled eggs, e.g. B. painting or complicated batik, scratching and etching techniques. These eggs are often  hung on a bouquet of birch twigs - the so-called Easter bouquet - or artfully (sometimes together with other gifts) decorated in an Easter basket. It is also widespread to decorate the bare branches of trees in the garden with it during Easter. Such an Easter egg tree with over ten thousand eggs can be admired in Saalfeld, Thuringia - but the entry in the Guinness Book of Records with 76,596 eggs was made by Rostock Zoo in April 2007 .

Sorbian tradition

In particular in the Sorbian Lausitz and in the Slavic parts of Europe, the eggs are characterized by a particularly artistic and elaborate decoration. Three traditional patterns are applied especially with the batik technique. The rays of the sun , which arise when the hot beeswax is applied with a glass needle as drawn drops or lines, represent happiness and satisfaction in the symbolism. The wolf teeth are applied with a cut quill pen as triangles in different formations and stand in the symbolism for the protection against disaster and disease. And the honeycombs , which are created by triangular patterns, the upper edge of which can be formed by the wolf's teeth, stand in the symbolism for wealth and good harvests and yields.

The Sorbs give themselves the artistically decorated eggs not only at Easter, but also for christenings, communions, weddings and other special personal occasions in order to emphasize the wishes of the recipient with the symbols.

The colors used for painting have the following meanings in some regions:

Sorbian Easter egg painting
  • Red symbolizes the sacrificial death of Christ
  • Yellow stands for the desire for enlightenment and wisdom
  • White is the color of purity
  • Green stands for youth and innocence
  • Orange for strength, endurance and ambition

The Easter egg in folk customs

Depending on the area, children were told that the Easter eggs were brought by the rooster, the cuckoo, the fox, the stork or the hare. The eggs they brought with them were also attributed to the bells on their return on Easter vigil from the flight to Rome. In recent times the Easter bunny has established itself as an egg-bringer nationwide. Today the children usually look for the hidden Easter eggs on Easter morning.

Other customs of Easter eggs are as coins Throw (remains the coin in the egg stuck. The egg belongs to the pitcher), Egg tapping , egg rolling , or (for example in Austria, Croatia , Russia) the Eierpecken . When throwing eggs (in Bavaria also throwing eggs , in East Friesland egg shooting ) in Vogtland , an Easter egg is put into a crocheted sack with a long ribbon: You throw it and let it go. Throwing takes place in a meadow or pasture. Meadows with thick grass are best. There are different or no rules for throwing itself. It is important that the eggs you want to throw are hard-boiled so that the egg does not break too quickly. Often two or more people toss the eggs until the shell is completely broken.

An attempt is made to throw the egg as high as possible in the net. If the egg breaks, you are eliminated. This goes on until there is only one child left with a whole egg, who then has won and is celebrated as the “king”. In some areas, throwing Easter eggs is also common. The eggs are eaten on the spot. In order to bring luck to one's house, there is a custom in South Tyrol to throw an egg over the house and then bury it.

gallery

  • Easter eggs in the Ukrainian style

  • Croatian Easter eggs

  • Ukrainian Easter egg with the inscription "Christ is risen"

  • Perforated eggs

  • Eggs with leaf pattern colored with onion skins

  • Easter eggs from Moravia (Czech Republic)

  • Easter eggs from Moravia (Czech Republic) - video

  • Easter eggs in the Museum of Easter Egg Painting in Kolomyja

Others

Blown eggs before and after painting for Easter
  • Particularly ostentatious are the Easter eggs by Peter Carl Faberge .
  • There is an Easter egg gallery in Libotenice , Czech Republic , where hand-painting Easter eggs is a tradition.
  • The first Easter egg museum in Germany has existed in the Erpfingen district of the Swabian community of Sonnenbühl since 1993, showing over a thousand exhibits from all over Europe.
  • The largest Easter egg in Germany was in Betzdorf . It was 9.27 m high and 5.71 m in diameter.
  • So-called “ Easter Eggs ” are additional functions (or images) that are undocumented in the software and that actually have nothing to do with the program, or amusing additions to DVD films and computer / video games that the programmer or the Producers have hidden behind a menu or key combination.
  • In order to avoid “wasting eggs” during the First World War , the production and marketing of colored Easter eggs was banned in Lower Austria and Styria from 1915, in Tyrol and Vorarlberg in 1916 and in Moravia from 1915–1917. In Moravia it was also explicitly forbidden to use them “for normal games.” The political authorities decided that the penalty was a fine of 2 to 200 kroner or a six-hour to 14-day detention.

literature

Web links

Commons : Easter Eggs  - Collection of images, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Easter egg  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Egg Cetera # 6: On the hunt for the world's oldest decorated eggs , University of Cambridge (English)
  2. ↑ Richard L. Zettler, Lee Horne, Donald P. Hansen, Holly Pittman: Treasures from Royal Tombs of Ur , 1998, pp. 70-72 (English).
  3. ↑ TB Noonan: Donahoe's Magazine, Volume 5 (English)
  4. ^ Vicki K. Black: Welcome to the Church Year: An Introduction to the Seasons of the Episcopal Church . Ed .: Church Publishing, Inc. Morehouse Publishing, 2004, ISBN 0-8192-1966-5 , pp. 130 (English, books.google.de ): “The Christians of this region in Mesopotamia were probably the first to connect the decorating of eggs with the feast of the resurrection of Christ, and by the Middle Ages this practice was so widespread that in some places Easter Day was called Egg Sunday. In parts of Europe, the eggs were dyed red and were then cracked together when people exchanged Easter greetings. Many congregations today continue to have Easter egg hunts for the children after services on Easter Day. "
  5. ↑ GeoLino: Colorful eggs! Why actually? (accessed April 1, 2018)
  6. ↑ Augustin in Sermo 105, egg. In: Lexicon of Christian Iconography (LCI). Vol. 1. Herder, Freiburg 1968.
  7. ^ Hugo von St. Viktor , In: De Bestiis. Egg. In: Lexicon of Christian Iconography (LCI). Vol. 1. Herder, Freiburg 1968.
  8. ↑ [1]
  9. ^ German legal dictionary : Easter egg. University of Heidelberg
  10. ↑ Ladies Conversations Lexicon. Leipzig 1837, Berlin 2005 (repr.), ISBN 3-89853-518-5
  11. ↑ Easter egg. In: Concise dictionary of German superstition . Vol. 6. Berlin 1935, pp. 1327f., 1987 (repr.). ISBN 3-11-011194-2 .
  12. ↑ Alexander Hislop: From Babylon to Rome: The origin of the Roman Catholic. Religion . 1st edition. CLV, Bielefeld 1997, ISBN 3-89397-377-X , p. 97 ff .
  13. ↑ The Yezidis - a working aid . EKD, Hanover 1992
  14. ^ Rhonda Lauret Parkinson: The everything Chinese cookbook: from wonton soup to sweet and sour chicken . 300 succulent recipes from the Far East. Ed .: Everything Books. Adams, 2003, ISBN 1-58062-954-7 , pp. 206 (English, books.google.de ).
  15. ↑ Koran in German , accessed on September 21, 2017
  16. ↑ Egg throwing in the Vogtland. accessed March 28, 2010.
  17. ↑ Egg throwing rules In: needumsseiten.de. Retrieved March 29, 2010.
  18. ↑ Tamara Retterath: Easter in my childhood. In: Heimatjahrbuch 2007. Vulkaneifel district, accessed on April 9, 2019 .
  19. ↑ Antlass eggs take over the house ( Memento of September 11, 2014 Internet Archive ), kleinezeitung.at
  20. ^ Easter eggs - Customs and modernity . In: es-ist-ostern.de. Retrieved March 2, 2011
  21. ↑ Website of the Ostereimuseum Sonnenbühl ( Memento of the original from June 25, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.sonnenbuehl.de
  22. ↑ 24. Ordinance of the Imperial and Royal Governor in the Archduchy of Austria under the Enns of March 20, 1916, Z. W-1530/2, with which the coloring of chicken eggs and the placing on the market of colored chicken eggs (Easter eggs) is prohibited . In: State Law and Ordinance Gazette for the Archduchy of Austria under the Enns . No. 18 , March 21, 1916, pp. 63 ( alex.onb.ac.at [accessed on February 26, 2015] LGuVBl. 24/1916 “until further notice”).
  23. ↑ 28. Ordinance of the Imperial and Royal Styrian Lieutenancy of March 23, 1915, on the prohibition of the production and sale of Easter eggs . In: State Law and Ordinance Gazette for the Duchy of Styria . No. 21 , March 24, 1915, p. 63 ( alex.onb.ac.at [accessed on February 26, 2015] LGuVBl. 28/1915; explicitly "also the production of Easter eggs in private households").
  24. ↑ 18. Ordinance of the kk governor in Tyrol and Vorarlberg of March 27, 1916, Zl. II-152/1, regarding the prohibition of the production and sale of colored hen's eggs (Easter eggs) . In: Law-. u. Ordinance sheet for the prince graffschaft Tirol and the state of Vorarlberg . No. 13 , March 31, 1916, pp. 58 ( alex.onb.ac.at [accessed on February 26, 2015] GuVBl. 18/1916; "For the year 1916").
  25. ↑ 22. Announcement of the kk governor in Moravia of March 28, 1915, regarding the prohibition of coloring chicken eggs and placing colored chicken eggs on the market . In: Landesgesetz- u. Ordinance sheet for the Margraviate of Moravia . No. 14 , March 29, 1916, p. 104 ( alex.onb.ac.at [accessed on February 26, 2015] LGuVBl. 22/1915; "for the year 1915 ... and to be used for normal games").
  26. ↑ 32nd proclamation of the Imperial and Royal governor in Moravia of March 15, 1916, regarding the prohibition of coloring chicken eggs and placing colored chicken eggs on the market . In: Landesgesetz- u. Ordinance sheet for the Margraviate of Moravia . No. 15 , March 18, 1916, p. 80 ( alex.onb.ac.at [accessed on February 26, 2015] LGuVBl. 32/1916; "for the year 1916 ... and to be used for normal games").
  27. ↑ 32nd proclamation of the Imperial and Royal governor in Moravia of March 18, 1917, regarding the ban on coloring chicken eggs and placing colored chicken eggs on the market . In: Landesgesetz- u. Ordinance sheet for the Margraviate of Moravia . No. 12 , March 29, 1917, p. 53 ( alex.onb.ac.at [accessed on February 26, 2015] LGuVBl. 32/1917; "for the year 1917 ... and to be used for normal games").