Did Ancient Peoples Bless Their Houses With Eggs?

Sardis, an ancient city in modern-day Turkey, has been the site of archeological expeditions since 1910 and is still churning out new finds today. But this past July archaeologists working at the site found something particularly unusual: 2,000-year-old eggs, likely meant to bless the house as part of a purification ritual.

The eggs were discovered in two pots, which date to between A.D. 54 and 68 and were found buried in the earthen floor of an early Roman house. One egg was smashed, the other whole, and both were filled with dirt. Amazingly, a team of conservators were able to excavate one eggshell intact, except for a small, already-existing hole in the side.