Easter Eggs
Ok, at the request of my mother ... here is some research she did on Easter Eggs ... enjoy.
The history of the Easter Egg.
In Ancient times people believed all life came from an egg. It was used as an emblem of life. The Latin proverb Omne Vivum Ex Ova means all life comes from an egg.
Man’s relationship with the egg is a deep seated one buried in myths and tradition. Eggs were hung on trees by Europeans in midsummer as symbols of regenerate forces of nature. They were linked to the rebirth of spring. People hid eggs under the foundations of their houses to ward off evil, pregnant women carried them to determine the sex of their unborn child. The egg was also used in the 1800's as a substitution for birth certificates. The egg was dyed a solid colour, given its own design, and then inscribed with the persons name and date of birth using a needle or sharp tool. These eggs were recognized in a court of law as evidence of identity and age. Eggs were used as fertility symbols.
How did the egg get linked to Easter?
Early Christians used the egg as a symbol of Christ's tomb. It was used as a symbol of the rebirth of man instead of the rebirth of the earth. It was said that eggs laid on Good Friday, if kept for a hundred years, would have their yolks turned to diamonds. If eggs laid on Good Friday were cooked on Easter, they would promote fertility of trees and crops, and protect you against sudden death.
There was also a myth that two yolks in an Easter egg signified that you were going to be soon rich. No eggs were eaten during the forty days of Lent.
Dyeing or coloring Easter Eggs
Coloring Easter eggs was an English custom in the middle ages. The gentry could afford gilded eggs but the common folk just dyed theirs and gave them as gifts. They were eaten at Spring festivals in ancient Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome. It is believed that Colored eggs were introduced in Western Europe during the fifteenth century. Missionaries or Knights of the crusades are supposed to have brought the concept of coloring eggs westward. A superstition of medieval times tells us of the church bells that had been silent since Holy Thursday, were sent to Rome to be blessed by the pope and came back as colored eggs for everyone on Easter Eve.
Christianity told how the Virgin Mary was supposed to have given eggs to the soldiers at the cross to beg them to be less cruel, and when she cried, her tears fell on the eggs spotting them with dots of brilliant color.
Mary Magdalene's eggs turned colors mysteriously when she went to Christ's tomb to anoint his body. SHE CARRIED THEM IN A BASKET. Red color was supposed to symbolize Christ's blood he shed at Easter.
Later on in the 1800's eggs were gilded with gold and precious jewels and given as gifts to the Russian Czar's wife. These were the famous Faberge eggs and they now reside in a museum for everyone to see.
The Ukrainian people paint their Easter eggs with colors and symbols of life and Christ using wax and paint and a sharp tool.
What about chocolate Eggs?
They were first made in Germany and France in the 1800's fron a paste made from roasted cocoa beans. At first they were solid and then hollow. By the turn of the 19th century, the modern chocolate making process was discovered which improved the mass manufacturing of Chocolate Easter eggs.
For more info:
www.geocities.com/Heartland/8149/easter.htmlwww.aphroditie-chocolates.co.uk/easter-eggs-history.htmlwww.theholidayspot.com/easter/history/icons/easter_egg.htm
History of the Diamond Engagement Ring
You asked for it!!! One of my faithful readers (I know, reading 4 posts doesn't exactly qualify as faithful but I'll take what I can get) asked me if I knew the history of the Diamond Engagement Ring. After soon careful research I found out some
very interesting information. Read on...
Engagement Rings have a very long history, but, as you might have guessed, they started out much more humbly than the current Diamond sporting platinum rings. In order to know the history of the
Diamond engagement ring lets look at the history of the engagement ring first
. From
www.wedfrugal.com we can see a number of different potential explanations. I kind of like the first one...
The first engagement symbol probably wasn't a ring, but it's likely that the shape was translated into later versions of engagement symbols...including rings. According to most sources, the tradition started with the caveman (which cavemen is not specified). It's thought that the first engagement symbol was actually a woven cord of rushes (grasses, reeds) or leather. It's said that this cord was used to tie the hands and feet of his mate so that she could not get away. Once he thought she would stay, he tied it around her hands (and presumably took it off her feet). Finally when fully assured she would stay with him, he tied a cord only around her finger. Hey now - what's this?
Though the idea may be distasteful, slavery is not an uncommon theory. In fact, another theory is that the ring was like a miniature "slave band", which denoted that the woman was the man's property. This was done, but it isn't likely that this started engagement rings in the Roman culture as it came about later. Slaves were forbidden to wear rings throughout the Roman Republic (449-31 BC), but in later years iron rings denoted their status. Silver was worn by freed slaves. The wearing of gold rings was restricted in early years, but eventually they could be worn by all who were free. It wasn't until Emperor Justinian that the restrictions on who could wear rings were lifted.But who approved the ball and chain that gets wrapped around our necks I wonder .... anyway here is another theory, maybe more palatable for most ...
Another theory talks of the dowry and/or bride price. Once upon a time, marriages were arranged...for a price. This much is a fact, there are documents (marriage/sale agreements or contracts) that speak of this exact practice. A number of them list the exact terms of the agreement and include the livestock, fabrics and other items that were traded for the bride. You can occasionally find some of these on eBay if you are truly interested. It's thought that a ring may have been given as part of a bride price or dowry. Some of the documents mentioned above do include jewelry, rings and/or gold. Yet a determination of validity can't be based on this alone, especially when you consider that it is the bride that receives the ring. Which brings us to another theory. A ring may have been given to bride, either as a symbol of unity or perhaps as a bribe.Ok. So that explains the engagement ring, sort of - if you want more go to
www.wedfrugal.com. However what about that 'Diamond' - when did that get brought into the equation? Blame it on the Austrians!
Throughout history, diamond engagement rings did enjoy popularity among those who were wealthy and those who were royalty. Many sources mention that Archduke Maximilian of Hamburg and Mary of Burgandy made the wearing of diamond engagement rings popular in 1477. It is highly doubtful that Maximilian and Mary started the trend of diamond engagement rings, though it is possible they started the trend among the wealthy or those who were royalty. After all, they were rather expensive and could not become common if the "common-folk" could not afford them. A true trend involves more than just a small section of the society and this is why I find the possibility highly doubtful. As a matter of fact, diamond engagement rings were not to become "traditional" until hundreds of years later.Uh-huh. So Max introduced it but it didn't catch on outside of the upper crust. So how then could it be so prevalent today... read on guys and curse those rotten ad agencies !!!
This attempt began when Harry Oppenheimer (son of the De Beers founder) visited New York in order to meet with Gerold M. Lauck. Gerold was the president of N.W. Ayer, which was a leading advertising agency at the time. You see, diamond sales had declined since 1919 by 50%, and something had to be done to increase the demand for them.
The year of the advertising campaign was 1939. That's right, the tradition of diamonds as THE engagement ring...as the only correct option, started slightly over 60 years ago and was the main result of an advertising campaign. While the diamond did enjoy periods of popularity in times prior to this (Victorian era for example), this was the factor that made the diamond engagement ring the ONLY choice that was acceptable. You don't have to take my word for it though. Feel free to research on your own. There you have it guys. A good marketing campaign 60 years ago that we are still paying for. Now that is some powerful marketing.
Until next time,
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