NEW DELHI: In an
astonishing discovery
at a Roman site in England, a 1,700-year-old
chicken egg
has been found with its
yolk and egg white
remarkably preserved. This rare find, uncovered in the town of Aylesbury, is thought to be a unique instance of a chicken egg from centuries past still containing its internal contents.
Edward Biddulph, a senior project manager at Oxford Archaeology, expressed amazement at the discovery, saying, "We were absolutely blown away when we saw the contents in there, as we might have expected them to have leached out."
As per a Live Science report, the egg was among four unearthed during an archaeological dig at a Roman-era location.
While three of the eggs cracked open, emitting a potent smell, one remained intact. This intact egg underwent a microscopic computed tomography (micro-CT) scan at the University of Kent, revealing not only its
unbroken state
but also the presence of liquid inside, likely from the yolk and albumen, along with an air bubble.
These eggs were discovered in a waterlogged pit, which had been used for malting grain and brewing ale before being repurposed as a place for making offerings to the gods for good fortune. The site, rich with organic materials preserved by the anaerobic conditions, offered a glimpse into Roman life, including not just the eggs but also a wooden basket, leather shoes, and various wooden vessels and tools.
The preservation of this egg is unprecedented in Britain, with only one other Roman-era egg, found in the grip of an infant buried near the Vatican and containing no liquids, previously known. Eggs during the Roman era were often associated with fertility and rebirth, symbolizing gods like Mithras and Mercury.
Now housed at a museum in Aylesbury, efforts are underway to extract the egg's contents without damaging the shell, making it a focal point for both historical and scientific study.
FAQs
A three-dimensional scan of a 1,700-year-old egg discovered at a Roman site in England reveals that, eggs-traordinarily, it still has the remains of a yolk and egg white inside. It's thought to be the only time a centuries-old chicken egg found with its insides preserved.
Is the yolk still in the 1700 year old egg? ›
A CT scan of the egg by the University of Kent found that it still contained the yolk and egg white. “In Britain, this was a unique find,” Edward Biddulph, senior project manager with Oxford Archaeology, a foundation involved in the excavations, told the outlet.
Was the 1700 year old egg found? ›
An archaeological excavation in Britain unearthed the only intact chicken egg from Roman Britain, believed to be 1,700 years old. The “genuinely unique discovery” still contains the yolk and egg white. Finding an intact egg that old is rare in and of itself, but seeing liquid inside is astounding.
What is the news about the Roman egg? ›
Archaeologists Were 'Amazed' to Find That a 1,700-Year-Old Chicken Egg Still Has Liquid Inside. New research shows that an intact chicken egg laid in Roman Britain 1,700 years ago still contains liquid inside, making it the only known egg of its kind in the world.
What is the oldest egg ever found? ›
Aylesbury Roman egg with contents a 'world first', say scientists
- This egg was cast into a watery pit 1,700 years ago - possibly as part of a Roman funeral rite.
- Archaeologists needed to prevent the egg breaking up as they removed it during the dig.
Egg white tends to thin out as an egg ages because its protein changes in character. That's why fresh eggs sit up tall and firm in the pan while older ones tend to spread out. Albumen is more opalescent than truly white. The cloudy appearance comes from carbon dioxide.
How old is the oldest egg in the world? ›
The other eggs recovered at the site broke, with predictably smelly results. The 1,700-year-old egg that's still intact.
What is the 7000 year old egg? ›
And for archaeologists in Israel, eight prehistoric ostrich eggs – thought to be between 4,000 and 7,500 years old – proved as valuable as treasure when they were discovered near an ancient fire pit in the Negev, a desert region in the south of the country.
When did human start eating eggs? ›
According to food historians, humans have been eating eggs for about 6 million years, originally eating them raw from the nests of wild birds. Jungle birds were domesticated for egg production in India by 3200 BC, and it is thought that Ancient Egypt and Ancient China were the first societies to domesticate hens.
Is there a 1000 year old egg? ›
Information. These Chinese eggs are not really 1,000 years old, but somewhere between a month and several years. The egg is not retained in its original state, but rather converted into an entirely different food, probably by bacterial action. They are exempt from inspection and grading.
Far from the culinary splendour described by Apicius, eggs were a common food item for the average Roman. They could eat eggs of several species: geese (the most sacred), pheasants, partridges, ducks, pigeons, and finally hens (the most common). The eggs could be eaten raw, boiled, soft-boiled, hard-boiled or fried…
What did the Romans call deviled eggs? ›
For National Deviled Egg Day, we're taking it back to Ancient Rome…. where serving deviled eggs was often referred to as “ab ova usque ad mala.”
What is the 72 million year old egg? ›
Unhatched dino nicknamed Baby Yingliang. A 72-million-year-old dinosaur embryo was found in China. The unhatched dino is one of the best preserved fossils of its kind ever found. Scientists say it shows that birds and dinosaurs hatched similarly.
Were dinosaurs born from eggs? ›
As far as we know, all dinosaurs reproduced by laying eggs, as do most other sauropsids (reptiles). It is very difficult to determine what species of dinosaur laid the eggs that have been discovered, because only a few dinosaur embryos have been found inside the fossil eggs.
How old is the Roman egg? ›
Some 1,700-year-old speckled chicken eggs were discovered in a Roman pit dug up in Buckinghamshire in England but even more interestingly, a scan revealed that one of the eggs still has liquid inside it.
What does an old egg yolk look like? ›
To check the state of an egg, crack it onto a plate and look carefully at the colour and thickness of the white and yolk. A fresh egg should have a bright yellow or orange yolk and a thickish white that doesn't spread too far. If it's off, the yolk will be flatter and discoloured and the egg white will be far runnier.
Can you eat old egg yolk? ›
An old egg isn't necessarily unsafe to eat, but it might not taste as good as a fresh egg. A rotten egg is one contaminated by common bacteria; it'll give off a putrid, sulfurous smell. In most cases, consuming a rotten egg will cause mild digestive issues, at most, compounded by a few days of cramping.
What do 100 year old eggs taste like? ›
It may also be simmered with congee (rice porridge) and salted dried pork or steamed with spinach, garlic, and another type of Chinese preserved eggs (salted eggs). A century egg tastes rich, complex, and pungent, like ripe blue cheese with a very faint hint of ammonia.
