History Of Dolls

First of all, dolls are basically a child's toy that is made to resemble a human being. So, just how long have people been making dolls?You have to consider the fact that dolls have been part of humans ever since the prehistoric times. In those days, dolls were basically used to depict religious figures or it is used as playthings for children. Dolls in the past were basically made of primitive materials, such as fur, wood, or even clay.Although no prehistoric dolls were found or even survived the harshness of times, there were a fragment of alabaster dolls that can move its arms that was found and was dated back from the Babylonian period.In Egypt, archeologists have discovered dolls in graves or burial sites that dated back to 2000 BC. The dolls were constructed with flat pieces of wood and were painted. The hair was made of strings of clay or wooden beads and was usually found in tombs of wealthy families. Pottery dolls were also found and researchers believed that these dolls were cherished possessions as it was included in the burial of a person.In the graves of children in the Greek and Roman times, dolls were also found. It was found out that dolls from ancient Greece and Rome were dedicated to the goddesses by the girls who played with them once they become too grown up to play with dolls.The ancient dolls found in children's tomb were quite simple in creation. It is often made up of simple materials, such as clay, wood, bone, or rags. Wax and ivory dolls were rare but it was also made.In the past, the main goal in doll making is to make the dolls as lifelike as possible. Because of this, the idea to create dolls with movable limbs and removable garments has been considered. This particular idea dated back to 600 BC.Europe basically became a major hub for dolls production. The dolls produced here were primarily made out of wood and today, primitive wooden stump dolls like this can only be found in England and only less than 30 exists today.In Germany, the Grodnertal area produced quite a lot of peg wooden dolls. This particular type of doll was very simple in construction and it has very simple peg joints that resemble a clothespin.During the 1800's, an alternative to wood was developed. Dolls during this time were made out of mixtures of pulped wood or paper which were used to create the heads and bodies of the doll. These mixtures were molded under pressure, which made it possible for dolls to be mass produced.This technique was so effective that manufacturers of dolls guarded their recipes of the mixtures. Some manufacturers even included ingredients, such as eggshells and ash. This was basically one of the most popular types of mixtures when it comes to making dolls.Aside from wooden dolls, wax dolls were also very popular in the 17th and 18th centuries. Back then, wax dolls were mass produced in Munich which was regarded to be a major manufacturing center of wax dolls. However, there were wax dolls being created in England as well, which were created between 1850 and 1930.To make wax dolls, modelers would model a particular doll head in wax or clay. They then use plaster in order to create molds from the head. After that, wax dolls manufacturers will now pour melted wax in the cast.In the beginning of 19th century, porcelain becomes the popular choice for dolls.In the 1880's, the French "bebe" became very popular and up until today, this particular doll is considered to be one of the most sought after dolls by doll collectors. The great thing about this particular doll is that it depicted a younger girl. Before this doll, all dolls depicted adults.French dolls were unrivaled when it comes to artistry but German dolls were very popular as it was not as expensive.After World War II, doll makers began using plastic for manufacturing dolls. Hard plastic dolls were manufactured in 1940's and it is much more durable than composition dolls. Modern dolls are now made up of plastic and other materials, such as foam, rubber, and even vinyl. Thanks to vinyl, manufacturers can now root hair in to the head rather than just using wigs or painting the hair.This is the history of dolls. As you can see, humans have come a very long way with their love affair with dolls.
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