History of Dolls

Dolls have been around for far longer than most would think, archaeological evidence placing dolls as foremost candidate for oldest known toy, having been found in Egyptian tombs which date to as early as 2000 BC. In Egypt, as well as Greece and Rome, it was common to find them in the graves of children, these were mainly made from wood, however, among the wealthier families, pottery dolls were also found.

Many suggest that dolls were around even before 2000 BC, going further back to prehistoric times, and were probably made from materials such as clay, mud, fur, wood, etc.

Antique Dolls

A doll is a toy often made in the likeness of a human baby or child, although dolls are also made in the likeness of human adults, animals, or fictional creatures (e.g. troll dolls). Dolls can be made out of almost any material, but both cloth and plastic are popular in doll-making.

Dolls are often intended as toys for children but other uses of dolls include as a keepsake or collectible item for any age, namely older children to adults. However, dolls are also used because of their cultural significance, possibly for use in a ceremony or ritual, or even as a physical representation of a deity. Artists' mannequins are also known as "artists' dolls." Dolls with action figure-like articulation and removable clothing are sometimes referred to as "action dolls.