What Does an Egg Symbolize?

Eggs have had strong symbolic power all over the world since the beginning of history. Practically all Pagan cultures saw eggs as the symbol of hope and new life. Many believed that eggs represented the magical potential of inanimate nature to transform into something alive. Eggs of birds and lizards were living proof.

The look of an egg already suggests we are dealing with something special. Its oval shape represents the eternity. It has no beginning and no end. Or, if we look a bit differently, it represents the endless cycles in nature.

Eggs come in different sizes and colors but always have surroundings made of fragile shells. Inside the shell, there's the mystery of life as so many cultures noticed and acted accordingly. Several religions put the egg in the central role of the creation of the world.

Concert in the Egg by Gielis Panhedel (ca 1490-ca 1550)

According to Egyptian creation myth, the bird of light came from the cosmic egg effectively creating the world as we know it. Old Greeks saw divinity in eggs as well. One such example is the story about Leda and Zeus who visited her in the form of a swan which resulted in Leda's laying two eggs (!), one being fertilized by the god and the other by her husband. Four children hatched from these eggs although there are different theories about which kid came from which egg. Nevertheless, Ledo's children made a great impact. They were two pairs of twins: Castor and Pollux and  Helen (of Troy) and Clytemnestra.

Leda and the Swan by Andrea del Sarto (1486-1531)

The egg's white shell symbolizes innocence and purity in a similar way as the white wedding dress or the Pope's white cassock. The yolk with its olden color is closely associated with the Sun, the ultimate source of life. An egg can be easily broken but life can also come out of it which associates it with death and life at the same time. Or, we can see it as the purity which can be easily broken, so the innocence is lost when the shell is broken.

Such dualism was perfect for the incorporation of Pagan relations with eggs into Christianity. Several religions, including Roman and German, used eggs in different fertility-related rituals, especially the ones happening in spring when according to the very same religions the year started. Eggs were traditional gifts for centuries way before the birth of Jesus. Old Greeks and Romans colored and hung them as decoration every spring. They were always perceived as something extremely positive. It seemed logical to continue this tradition when Christianity became the dominant religion.

Vintage Easter Card by Jenny Nystrom (1854-1946)

While eggs are symbolically intertwined with female fertility (only females lay eggs), in the East tradition of yin and yang the eggs are classified as yang which is masculine, a dominant part of the balance.

The Chinese also gave colored eggs to each other at least five thousand years ago. They painted it red as well while this custom started among Christians in most of Europe only in the 13th century. The explanation that an egg represents Christ's tomb or dyed eggs represent his blood came later and differs from area to area.

Alchemists believed that eggs represent a microcosmos containing all four elements in a perfect balance. Some of them believed eggs were the necessary ingredient for the recreation of the philosopher's stone, the substance capable of turning common metals into silver and gold. The golden color of the yolk only supported that theory. Such belief occasionally caused huge shortages of eggs in certain areas which led to temporarily astronomical prices.

Today the role of the egg as the present is widespread all over the globe although chocolate eggs slowly but steadily substitute the eggs laid by hens. There are also numerous other sweets in the shape of colorful eggs given to children at Easter time which became the second-best holiday by sales of the sweets (after Halloween).

On the other hand, eggs inspired some of the most impressive jewelry of all time. We are talking about Faberge eggs, created by the House of Faberge for Russian emperors. There were supposed to be about 69 Faberge eggs altogether but only 57 survived until today. Each of the Faberge eggs is worth several million dollars with so-called The Rothschild Clock Egg as the record holder being sold for 25,1 million dollars.