Eggs and Easter Bunnies

Eggs and Easter Bunnies

By Eduarda Machado and Mário Correia

Have you ever wondered what Easter has to do with eggs? What about bunnies (in fact, hares)? In search of an answer, we delved into a variety of, not only Easter traditions but also traditions concerning eggs, which we’ll share below. Eggs are one of the most popular representations of Easter, with a worldwide following. Despite their common aspects and meanings, the diversity of their decorations is fascinating. The tradition of egg dyeing is an ancient practice that dates back to before the birth and death of Christ, as well as many ceremonial, symbolic and imagistic elements that have accompanied the evolution of ideas and religion, consequently being adopted and renewed.

The Tradition of Easter Egg Dyeing

Egg dyeing is an important Christian Orthodox tradition. The cracking of the egg evokes the Resurrection, and the red dye the blood of Christ. Cracking the eggs to be eaten in many cultures signifies the awakening of new life, and is related to the myths of the universal egg, which when opened releases life and the creation of the universe.

In Greece, the eggs are dyed on Maundy Thursday, a practice that is integral to the preparation of Easter Sunday lunch. The egg is also cooked in the center of a traditional Easter bread called tsoureki. The eggs are blessed by priests and in the past were even taken to churches to bless feast parts, all kinds of items used to celebrate the Easter feast.

Fig. 1: Greek red dyed eggs.

In Russia, people dye the eggs red, but instead of preparing them for lunch, they are eaten for breakfast on Sunday. Others are meticulously hand-painted with intricate designs and vibrant colors. The eggs are exchanged between friends and family as a symbol of love and friendship during the Russian Orthodox Easter festivities.. Decorative eggs could be made from all materials, from wood to crystal. Moreover, Easter eggs gave rise to the luxurious Fabergé eggs, 69 in total, of which 57 survive today.

In the various Slavic and other Central and Eastern European cultures, there are many versions of decorated eggs, such as pisanka/pysanka/pisanica, varying in color, motive, etc. Each pattern and color may have its own meaning, varying from region to region. The eggs are used as festive decorations and gifts during Easter celebrations.

Fig. 2: Slavic painted eggs.

The egg and ancient civilizations

The red dyeing of the egg also tells of a legend in which Mary Magdalene held out an egg to Emperor Tiberius, while greeting him, “Christ is risen”. When he expressed his skepticism, the egg Mary Magdalene placed in his hands turned blood red.

Fig. 3: Saint Mary Magdalene.

This practice of dyeing eggs and the legends associated with is also associated with Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians boiled eggs during the Shemu festival, celebrating the harvest season. They decorated them by painting them with various patterns, wrote their wishes on the eggs and hung them from trees and rooftops in palm leaf baskets. Hoping that dawn would bring the gods’ answer to their requests. This tradition survived the Ptolemaic era, the Roman era, and with the Christianization of Egypt, Easter was associated with it. It kept being celebrated by many Egyptians after the Islamization of the population and it is still a feast nowadays, Sham Ennesim, celebrated on the Monday after Easter in the Coptic calendar.

Fig. 4: Painted eggs for Sham-el-Nessim festivities.

Eggs and miraculous births: Jiandi and the Shang Dynasty

In the context of Chinese mythology, the egg is associated with Jiandi (or Chien-Ti), a woman who received a special egg brought by a celestial swallow. Similar to the biblical account of the life of Jesus, Chien-Ti was also a virgin and became pregnant upon receiving the gift. Her son, called Hsieh, eventually founded the Shang Dynasty, which ruled China for almost six centuries, starting around 1600 BC.

The narrative is remarkably similar to many stories of miraculous births found in various cultures around the world. The legend serves as a mythological explanation for the divine ruling legitimacy of the Shang dynasty. The connection between the legend of the celestial swallow and Hsieh’s divine birth during the vernal equinox highlights the cultural and symbolic importance of eggs as a symbol of fertility, renewal, and new life. In addition, Chinese Orthodox Christians decorate Easter eggs in the same way as in other cultures.

The legend of Helen of Troy also takes a similar line, telling of her birth from an egg that fell from the moon or was laid by Leda. The queen of Sparta was then impregnated by Zeus disguised as a swan.

Fig. 4: A Carthaginian decorated egg from the Iron Age.

What about the bunny?

First of all, the bunny was a hare. Its association with Easter has its roots in pagan traditions of celebrating the arrival of spring and fertility. In Germanic mythology, the hare was associated with the goddess of spring and fertility, Ostara (or Eostre). According to the legend, Ostara transformed an injured bird into a hare, but as a result of the transformation, the hare was still able to lay eggs, thus symbolizing the renewal of life and the arrival of spring.

Fig.5: Red dyeing and scraping technique.