Well-known Russian proverb says “Easter egg is dear at Easter day”. Easter eggs are attribute of one of the main religious holidays of christians - commemoration day of “wonderful resurrection” of the crucified Jesus Christ. According to ancient church legend, Saint equal to the apostles Mary Magdalene presented the first easter egg to the Roman emperor Tiberius. Soon after ascension of Christ the Saviour, Mary Magdalene arrived to Rome for evangelic sermon. At those times there was a tradition to bring presents to the emperor, when you came to him. The rich brought valuable things, and the poor – what they could. Therefore, Mary Magdalene, who did not have anything, except for the faith in Jesus, gave a chicken egg to the emperor Tiberius with exclamation: “Crist has arisen!” The emperor, in doubt, noticed that nobody could rise from the dead and it was similarly difficult to believe in that, as well as in that white egg could become red. Tiberius just finished these words, while the egg began to transform from white into rich red. Legend says that from that time painted eggs are symbols of faith in Christ’s resurrection. Red eggs symbolize Christ’s blood and are symbols of resurrection for new better life. If people live according to christian commandments, they communicate to the expiatory merits of the Saviour and to a new life.

In XVIII-XIX centuries artistically designed easter eggs become so widespread among different layers of the Russian population, that since that time they are treated as an original type of decorative and applied art. At this time precious easter eggs became rather traditional, as well as simple peasant “pysanky” and “krashenky”. The look of precious easter eggs changed in time. “Pysanky” and “krashenky” were less subject to stylistic changes.

Symbolism of easter eggs is related with magic of fertility in all its aspects. Foremost, egg is personification of the beginning life; vegetable patterns and symbols of agrarian fertility cover pysanky, as a rule. There is a custom to roll easter eggs, which is closely connected with spring cycle and agrarian magic. Therefore, all plots and compositions, which are painted on easter eggs, should be thoroughly studied and carefully decoded.

“Pysanky”, are usually created in rural areas. Two-three experienced egg-painters live in each village. Eggs are painted as follows: they are covered by beeswax by means of thin metallic tube, which is fixed on a wooden handle. This tube is used for application of the basic lines of picture. And when beeswax gets cold, eggs are put into paint. Thus, they are totally painted, except for the contour lines of picture, which remain white. After that, parts of eggs, which should preserve initial colour, are covered by beeswax. And eggs are put into the other paint. This process is repeated for several times. After that, eggs are heated, beeswax melts - and “pysanky” are ready. There are usually used vegetable paints. “Pysanky” have two or more colours. There is also a special ornamentation technique: patterns are scratched by means of some sharp “tool”. Such eggs are called “skrobanky”.

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