by Gil Gilbreath, Weidner, Arkansas
Volume 66, Number 2, April 2019 Central States Archaeological Journal
Figure 1.
After years of investigating the odd ceramic eggs with Arabic text that were dug up, the mystery may be finally solved. These eggs were originally shown in this journal in 2010 (CSAJ Vol 59 April 2012 Page 88)). I had acquired two eggs found by road crews while digging near a river in 2002 near Woodson, Arkansas (Fig. 1). They rattled when shaken, as they had clay beads inside. We knew this as one of the finders had been broken open one prior, thinking there might be diamonds inside. Both eggs had Arabic looking writings on them. We tried to have the language translated on several occasions by various scholars, but to no avail. Some said the writings looked like a prayer because some of the symbols contained the word – “Ali.” Another stated they were chants that dated to the Crusades. We were all baffled. After several years of research, we had no answers, and put the word out in central Arkansas asking “What are these eggs?”
A few years later two more eggs showed up in Ohio and Missouri. Then in 2015, I heard about a “clutch” that was obtained by Professor Grey Gundaker at Williams and Mary College in Williamsburg, Virginia. She had purchased two eggs that had been found in a marsh in South Carolina. In October of 2015, my wife and I traveled to Jamestown, Virginia to meet her (Fig. 1) and photograph her eggs with ours (Fig. 2). She told us that after purchasing her eggs (she said she paid enough to buy a small car!) she went through airport security returning home and the metal detector went off, showing that the eggs had metal beads inside so that they would rattle. This incident made her even more curious and thus began her quest to find out what they were.
After viewing hers, which were very similar to ours, she gave us the results of her research. She told us she believed the eggs came from Kalimantan, Indonesia (what!?). She told us that years ago, Jason Phillips, an award winning industrial designer, visited the island of Kalimantan. The people of this island had a legend that certain stones would bring good luck. They carved stones into the shapes of eggs and inscribed their perpetual calendar, and/or prayers on them. Then they buried them for “good luck.” Phillips was so intrigued that he refabricated the design in ceramics and reproduced them to sell or what not for his own purpose. He even gave them away to customers of his at his design store.
All of this was unknown to any of us artifact enthusiasts prior to her telling us the results of her research. Her eggs were identical to ours except that hers had a combination of metal and clay balls inside. It seems Phillips used some metal to help hold the clay balls together.
So it appears there are the native Indonesian eggs as well as the eggs made by Justin Phillips circulating around the world. So when found, some could be older than others, as they may have been buried by immigrants from Indonesia. Or a found egg may just be a copy buried in emulation of ancient tradition. Regardless, we finally have the answer, and a mystery is solved!