Rag Doll

Dolls appear to have been used by humans since earliest times. A fragment of an alabaster doll from the Babylonian period has been found. Dolls constructed of flat pieces of wood, painted with various designs and with "hair" made of strings of clay or wooden beads, have often been found in Egyptian graves dating baek to 2000 BC. Egyptian tombs of wealthy families have included pottery dolls.

Dolls with moveable limbs and removable garments date back to 600 B.C. Dolls have been found in Greek children's graves, and the British Museum has a Roman rag doll, found in a child's grave dating to 300 B.e. Other early finds include 1st Century Peruvian dolls made from woven materials and 6th Century Coptic dolls made from brightly colored wools.

Between the Dark and Middle Ages there are no examples of cloth dolls, since at this time Christianity denounced the practice of making graven images. Still, toys and puppets made of wood, clay and metal have been found. Dolls reappear In the late 16th. C in the guise of "fashion model" dolls, and primitive wooden stump dolls from 16th and 17th century England have been found. The Grodnertal area of Germany produced many peg wooden dolls, a type of doll that has very simple peg joints and resembles a clothespin.

A prior and post-medieval tradition of doll use leads us to believe that doll-making may have been suppressed during this period but not entirely extinguished. A demand from modern reenactors for suitable "medieval" toys for their children led to the creation of this simple rag doll.

Based on the type of doll popular by the 1700s, this soft, cuddly rag doll is handmade in our workshop of colorful linen fabric scraps generated by clothing production. There are no small or removable parts to create a choking hazard, and the doll may be hand washed when necessary. Small children find them a soft friend, and they make wonderful hand puppets for older children. Head and arms stuffed with poly fill instead of rags for quick, sanitary drying. Dolls are made in assorted colors, please allow us to select one for you.

Doll is made of unfinished linen and will become softer and more frayed the more she is loved. Trim threads occasionally to keep her neat and tidy.

Size: approximately 10" tall.
Materials: Linen- assorted colours, poly fill.



$18.95

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  • Model: SL-CT01
  • Shipping Weight: 0.5lbs




This product was added to our catalog on Friday 11 June, 2010.