Easter egg decoration is one of the oldest Ukrainian traditions that has gone from the pagan symbol to the Christian charm. Although Easter eggs have accompanied Ukrainians for centuries, archaeological finds of this type - extraordinary rarity because of the fragility of egg shells. But in Lviv, a real miracle happened: archaeologists have found the oldest Easter egg today, whose age exceeds half a millennium.
The unique find was made in 2013 during repair work in Lviv. The builders came across an ancient well, which after a big fire in 1527 turned into a cesspit. It is in this layer that archaeologists have found many artifacts - ceramics, household items, wooden and metal things. But most of all impressed with almost a whole Easter egg, which miraculously preserved in a layer of charcoal.
Despite the damaged area of only about 2 cm², the egg retained the main pattern. It is created in traditional Ukrainian wax painting technique - the drawing is applied with wax, after which the egg is painted, and then the wax is removed, opening the pattern.
The history of Ukrainian Easter eggs goes back to pagan times. Archaeologists had previously found ceramic eggs dated in the XII century, and researchers believe that in the culture of Kukuten-Trimpilly, the egg had sacred importance as a symbol of fertility, life and revival.
This tradition, which later adopted Christianity, is now an important part of Ukrainian identity. In 2024, UNESCO officially recognized the Ukrainian art of decorating Easter eggs with the intangible cultural heritage of mankind.
Today, the original 500-year-old Easter egg is stored in the Museum of Pysanka painting in Kolomyia. And its exact copy made on duck eggs can be seen in the exposition of the Lviv Historical Museum.
