We associate the colouring of eggs with Easter, but the tradition is much older, as a study confirms.

Archaeologists have now uncovered an old settlement in the south of Israel and found eight decorated ostrich eggs. The settlement was inhabited by nomads. They collected the ostrich eggs in the wild and then decorated them. The decorated eggs were then sold to middlemen. The traders then resold the eggs to rich elites in the Mediterranean region and the Middle East.

Dating has shown that the eggs were 7,500 years old. So, people started decorating eggs about 8,000 years ago.

Remember the next time you are colouring and decorating Easter eggs, you are keeping an ancient tradition alive.

Source

Issy Ronald, Ostrich eggs up to 7,500 years old found next to ancient fire pit in Israel, CNN, 13. 1. 2023