![]() Pretzels were hidden on Easter morning just as eggs are hidden today, and are particularly associated with Lent, fasting and prayers before Easter. As time passed, pretzels became associated with both Lent and Easter. Pretzels made with a simple recipe using only flour and water could be eaten during Lent when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard, or dairy products such as milk and butter (cf. Within the Christian Church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape. A 12th century illustration of the banquet of Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus in the Hortus deliciarum from the Alsace region (today France) may contain the earliest depiction of a pretzel. ![]() The pretzel has been in use as an emblem of bakers and formerly their guilds in southern German areas since at least the 12th century. The German name " Brezel" may derive also from Latin bracellus (a medieval term for 'bracelet'), or bracchiola ('little arms'). In Germany, there are stories that pretzels were the invention of desperate bakers held hostage by local dignitaries. Another source locates the invention in a monastery in southern France. He calls the strips of baked dough, folded to resemble arms crossing the chest, 'pretiola' ('little reward')". n Italian monk invents pretzels as a reward to children who learn their prayers. According to some narratives, as cited by several sources, including The History of Science and Technology, by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans, in 610 AD ". There are numerous accounts regarding the origin of pretzels, as well as the origin of the name most state that they have Christian backgrounds and were invented by European monks. Pretzel depicted at a banquet of Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus.
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