Medieval child was buried with this popular snack — and archaeologists have no idea why

In 2014, archaeologists in Germany unearthed the grave of a medieval boy with a strange object inside. Sitting atop the boy’s bones were the calcified remains of a hard-boiled egg.

Now, one decade later, the secreted snack continues to mystify researchers — though they have ventured a vague theory about its importance.

The gravesite was discovered in Erding, a district in the southeastern state of Bavaria, according to a March 27 news release from the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation.

The skeletal remains inside were determined to belong to a boy who was about 5 years old at the time of his death.

In addition to the egg, belts and weapons were also found alongside the remains, officials said. They are characteristic of the seventh century A.D., potentially meaning the site is about 1,300 years old.

The egg, which was likely placed in the grave hard-boiled, undoubtedly had some sort of symbolic importance for the family of the deceased, officials said.

Other ancient graves have previously been found with eggs inside, including Italian burial sites dating to the fifth century B.C.

Additionally, two fertilized chicken eggs were found in tombs dating to the 12th and 13th centuries in Estonia, according to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Human Palaeoecology.

In addition to real eggs — from geese and chickens — graves have been found with artificial eggs made from bronze and clay, officials said.

They may have been meant as food for the afterlife, or they could have been used for cosmetic purposes.

Eggs held different meanings depending on the culture, officials said.

In the Christian faith, they have been viewed as a symbol of new life and the resurrection of Jesus. When found in the graves of young women, they’ve been interpreted as representations of fertility.

Google Translate was used to translate a news release from the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation.

This story was originally published April 2, 2024 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Medieval child was buried with this popular snack — and archaeologists have no idea why."