History And Evolution Of Dolls

Almost every child grows up owning one type of doll or another. Whether it is the latest popular action figure, a homemade cloth creation, or even an ancient porcelain antique, dolls have been enjoyed by mankind for about as long as we have been on this planet. They are an essential item of childhood, and feature quite prominently in the lives of many people. Dolls also enjoy a marvelous history, dating as far back as prehistoric times.

Although a complete doll has not survived from prehistoric times, enough fragments have been found to show that they existed even in those primitive times. In ancient Egyptian civilization, pottery dolls were found as part of the grave goods of the wealthy dead, and in ancient Roman and Greek culture it was popular at one point for girls to dedicate their wooden dolls to the goddesses as a symbol of their transition to adulthood. In many cultures dolls were made to depict certain gods and goddesses, which were then used in various religious ceremonies. These early dolls were typically made of wood, bone, or clay, and decorated with beads, paint, and other simple items. The original dolls of Europe and America were made of cloth. These rag dolls were made of any kind of fabric, and were typically given to children as their first toy. Since they were made of cast off fabric, these dolls were simple but durable and quite well loved. As time went on dolls evolved, doll making techniques evolved, and dolls began taking on more lifelike human characteristics.

The ideal image of a doll became one that resembled humans as much as possible. Doll makers began to create dolls with movable limbs and removable clothes to give the illusion of life. Many European countries took the lead, and soon dominated the industry. In the 16th and 17th centuries wooden dolls with movable appendages were developed throughout the country, but doll manufacturers would soon evolve their art.

From the 17th through the 19th centuries, wax dolls were created alongside wooden ones, and eventually would replace wood in popularity. Wax dolls were created when hot wax was poured into a mold for the doll's head, and once cooled was painted. This type of doll remained quite popular but was also eventually replaced when doll makers found a new material to use. This new material was porcelain, and in the beginning of the 19th century it was all the rage amongst the premier doll makers of Europe. Porcelain was certain types of clay that could withstand extreme temperatures when fired in a kiln. The porcelain doll makers use refers to two types of material, china and bisque. The only difference between them is that china is glazed, while bisque is unglazed. Many beautiful and antique dolls from this era have survived today and are prized by doll collectors across the world.

In the United States doll making was not much of an industry at first. As far as everybody knew, the best dolls came from Europe, and this was not contested. In the late 19th century, around 1860 American doll makers began producing dolls made of various nontraditional materials such as leather, rubber, paper-mache, and of course, cloth. Another material developed in America around this time was a material called celluloid. It gained tremendous popularity at first due to its cheapness. American, Japanese, French and German factories were able to mass produce celluloid dolls. Unfortunately celluloid was extremely flammable, and would also fade in bright light, so it lost favor as quickly as it had gained it. American doll making continued to evolved and shortly after World War II (when the traditional, nontraditional materials were scarce) doll makers began to experiment with plastics and vinyl. Assuredly, they will continue to change with time as our technology and techniques improve.

Dolls are a precious artifact from the beginning of human history that has evolved and changed just as we have as a species and culture. There are as many different types of dolls as there are cultures, and each type of doll has its own special meanings and significance. There are a vast variety of dolls being made to this day of all kinds of different materials. They are and will continue to be an important part of childhood. For the many doll collectors, doll lovers, and doll makers, will continue to be a cherished treasure.




Encyclopaedia Britannica. Doll . 2006. Encyclopaedia Britannica Online. 27 Sept. 2006 .

Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 16 Sep 2006, 00:08 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 29 Sep 2006 .