by Sarah Todd

Created on: April 08, 2009   Last Updated: November 30, 2010

As a symbol of new life and fertility the egg has featured in civilisations throughout history. The Egyptians, Hindus, Persians and Phoenicians believed the world was created from an egg, with the two halves of the shell representing Heaven and Earth. The Persians painted eggs as part of their spring equinox celebrations, and the Egyptians placed painted eggs inside the tombs of the dead to symbolise their rebirth in the afterlife.

The pagans revered the egg as a sign of new life at the end of a long cold winter, decorating and painting eggs as gifts to hand out at the beginning of spring. The egg has become an important symbol of Easter, representing Jesus' resurrection and new life. It also represents the tomb from which Jesus emerged on Resurrection Sunday.

In the northern hemisphere Easter is celebrated in spring. Easter also follows the Christian period of Lent, the forty days of preparation preceding Easter when believers observe acts of penance including self-denial, fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

Typically Lent represents the forty days Jesus spent wandering in the wilderness, denying the temptations of Satan as He prepared for His public ministry. In Medieval Times consumption of eggs during Lent was strictly forbidden, which meant households had to use up all their eggs before Lent began. This may have led to the tradition of serving pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Thus Easter became the first opportunity to enjoy eggs after the abstinence dictated during Lent.

Easter eggs were originally dyed and painted chicken eggs. Although chicken eggs are still used today chocolate eggs are popular, as are plastic eggs filled with smaller confectionaries like toffees and jellybeans. Modern Easter eggs are usually covered in brightly coloured aluminium foil, and can also be made from spun sugar. Sometimes pastry decorated with different colours and patterns is used.

The custom of giving eggs at Easter is to celebrate new life, and it is perhaps the most well-known of all Easter traditions. Eggs feature in several holiday games; parents often hide eggs in the garden for children to find on Easter Sunday morning. Easter egg rolling contests symbolise the rolling away of the stone from the entrance to Christ's tomb. In some places in the United Kingdom Easter eggs are rolled down a steep hill, while in the United States they are pushed along flat ground using a spoon. The annual Easter Egg Roll on the lawn of the

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