For many thousands of years, dolls have been made to resemble little people, and children have been drawn to them. When children play with dolls, the dolls become very real to them. Sometimes they represent the child and sometimes they become characters in stories. Dolls as toys give children the opportunity to be in charge, to make decisions, to give and receive love, and to practice what they have learned by watching adults. But dolls have not always been toys.

Before the 15th century, dolls were lifelike objects used in religious ceremonies or created as magical good luck charms. They may have been passed on to children after they were used or were no longer considered powerful, but no proof of this exists. The earliest known dolls were discovered in Egyptian tombs dating to between 3000 and 2000 BC. C. The dolls were made of wood with long hair made of clay threads or wooden beads. They were painted in geometric patterns. These dolls were probably cult objects, ushabti, or tomb figures, buried in tombs to take the place of servants. In this way, servants did not have to be buried alive to care for their mistresses and masters.

Not long ago, a tomb was discovered in China’s northwestern Shanxi province, containing 6,000 life-size soldiers and their horses, all sculpted in terracotta. Each face was different. This was the tomb of Emperor Ch’in Shih Huang Ti, and the terracotta soldiers were supposed to guard the crypt and protect the emperor on his journey to the afterlife. The Ch’in dynasty was in power from 221 BC. C. until 206 a. c.

The afterlife was very important to ancient peoples. It was also important to create realistic images, and some dolls dating back to 600 B.C. C. they even had movable arms and legs and colorful dresses. It was during the Middle Ages (5th to 15th century) that dolls representing the Holy Family of Christianity became part of Christmas celebrations. Mexican artisans created ceremonial dolls in the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, based on a story dating back to the 16th century.

On December 9, 1531, the Virgin is said to have appeared to Juan Diego, a Roman Catholic convert, on a hill near Mexico City. The Virgin’s presence is believed to have saved many lives over the years and she has been named the patron saint of Mexico.

Haute couture “lady” dolls, made in Paris, were the oldest method of showcasing the latest styles from Paris to a variety of European countries. It is said that in the 14th century an English queen sent for the latest French styles, and the doll was used as a model because there were no magazines yet and word of mouth was unreliable.

Wooden dolls were made in the 15th century in Nuremberg, Germany, by skilled craftsmen called Dockenbacher (toy makers). Nuremberg was close to the main medieval trade routes, and toy-making became an active industry. Dolls made by hand on a lathe by turners were especially popular. The rattle dolls, hollow dolls filled with dried peas or pebbles, made a satisfying sound when shaken. Erzebirge, on the German border, was also noted for its turned wooden dolls, some with movable arms.

In the 17th century, a large number of dolls began to be produced as children’s toys rather than simply sacred objects. A doll maker introduced a wax “baby” doll with moving eyes and a crying voice, although most dolls were still being designed for adults. Germany was the main producer of dolls and toys until the 18th century.

In 19th century Britain, the Montanaris were popular English doll makers. Augusta Montanari and her son Richard came to public attention when her work was exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851, held at London’s Crystal Palace. The collection consisted of a series of dolls representing all ages, from infancy to adulthood, arranged in various family groups. The charm of the Montanari wax dolls led to the worldwide popularization of the dolls, which until then had been very rare.