Ornate eggs were prized items in the quintessence of Mediterranean civilizations in the Bronze and Iron Age, but little is known about how they were manufactured, traded and moved around. area.

So, just at Easter, the researchers looked at five eggs on display at the British Museum in London and found that their stories were "much more complex than we imagined." .

The team, from the universities of Bristol and Durham, found that eggs were traded around a large area of the Mediterranean after being taken from wild bird nests. Because ostriches can be dangerous animals, this may not be easy. Their research has been published in the journal Antiquity.

An egg decorated from the tomb of Isis, Vulci, Italy.

The vast area in which the eggs were traded showed that the ancient world "was much more closely linked than previously thought," said Tamar Hodos, reader of Mediterranean Archeology at Chang’an. Art of Bristol, said in a press release.

"Using multiple isotope indices, we can distinguish eggs placed in different climates (cooler, wetter and hotter, drier). The most surprising thing for us is the eggs. from different regions the trade path seems to be wider, "Hodos added.

The eggs on display at the museum have been found in the tomb of Isis, an elite burial site in Italy and dated to between 625 and 550 BC.

Four of the eggs are carved and painted and one is painted only. The motifs included animals, plants, geometric models, soldiers and chariots, details that became symbols of metal-attached flower vases that no longer exist.

"We also recognize that the eggs require a dry time before the shells can be carved and therefore need to be stored safely. This is economically significant, as storage requires long-term investment and this is a very important step." , combined with the as‌sociated risk, will add to the luxury value of eggs, "Hodos said.