Easter, the Christian Passover, coincides with the Jewish Passover this year and includes some unique costums such as eating Ester eggs – a hard-boiled egg dyed and decorated.
The first Fabergé egg was crafted for Tsar Alexander II in Russia. He commissioned Peter Carl Fabergé, the royal jeweler, to create jeweled eggs, given every year as a gift to the Tsar’s wife, Empress Maria Fedorovna.
Fabergé eggs open like a Matryoshka Russian doll. In every egg, there is a piece of jewelry made of gold, diamonds and gemstones. Each egg was named according to the theme of the egg. Over the years, Fabergé eggs have become a symbol of luxury and high-end jewelry.
The House of Fabergé created an estimated 69 jeweled eggs made of precious metals, set with gemstones, diamonds and enamel. Most are exhibited in Russian museums today.
The Symbol of Easter Eggs
Easter eggs are traditional symbol of fertility and rebirth. The custom probably combines Roman, Persian Zoroastrianism traditions. The Romans used to eat hard-boiled eggs as a symbol of spring, while the Persians used to dye eggs as part of the Nowruz holiday, the name of the Iranian New Year, which marks the first day of spring or Equinox. Today, Easter eggs are also made of chocolate wrapped in colorful foil.
Written by Iris Hortman
