Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-01-10
DOLLS PLAY
UNIQUE PART IN
WORLD HISTORY
Demand for Them as Great
in CleOpatra's Time as
Now.
EVOLUTION IS SHOWN
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKIN.

come to realize with Il shock how in
credlbly young the race is. 1t seems
only few years ago that men were
gossiping about the new revolutionary
invention of fire building and you feel
as If you can almost remember Ra-
meses II.
But If you aren't reading Wells, con
slider the case of dolls. 1t will prove the
same thing.
Dolls are tremendously popular this
season. They are enjoying a tremendous
vogue on the stage, and the sales man
ayers Of toy departments are delighted
with the huge number Of Christmas dolls
that were sold. Yet, take a look into
history. or even a city museum. and you
find the same thing occurring thou
sands OF years ago. Dolls were quite as
much in demand in Cleopatra's time and
the dolls OF that day were just as de-
serving Of admiration, too. That is, they
were just as beautiful and accomplished
DOLLS PLAY PART
IN TRIBE WORSHIP.
Who played with the first doll ana
when, remains a battling mystery, but
It Is definitely suspected that the species
began to appear soon after the cave men
settled down to permanent dOmestice life.
Dolls OF q crude sort are found among
the belongings OF the most primitive
tribes, where they usually possess some
religious significance having to do with
the sun or snakes, or whatever 1t Is
that the tribe worshlps.
Although there Is no trace Of them, the
first civilized dolls are supposed to have
occurred in the Orient at the time when
the Orient was almost all Of the known
world, for the early mythology of the
country abounds with stories concern
ing them. They were made, 1t Is be-
lieved, IN the images of gods, but in
every other way they were quite mod
ern. They walked and moved their hands
and closed their eyes and talked, even
as they do today, only the talking was
accomplished by the insertion of a talk
ing starting into their hollow anatomies.
MORE VARIED
1000 Ii. c.
With the rise OF the early Egyptian
empire we find the doll fully established
an important accessory 10 child life.
1t was probably more varied and anus
ing in 1000 B. c., than 1t has ever been
since, in spite of the many generations
Of doll specialists that have followed.
In some cases II had a paddle shaped
body. painted with black and white
sQuares--a patter on which often led the
adults Of the household TO borrow 1t for
a game of checkers or chess. In others
its wooden body was brightly painted
like a mummy case and otter bore Il
lucky sign, such as the picture Of a
pig. Sometimes it also had flowing locks
consisting Of mud beads made from the
mud OF the sacred river Nile. Like the
cat the doll was greatly esteemed as
n household pet in these days, and was
frequently mummifed along with its
mistress.
In China and Japan the doll long ago
reached a high state of development 1t
was there that the puppet and shadow
dolls originated, and there also the rOly
poly doll. which cannot be made to lie
down was first produced. The first dolls
Of the MongOuan Empire were made to
represent gods and later to represent
prominent priests or members of the
Emperor's family. Doll gods are still
used In the Chinese joss houses. while
in Japan they are still patterned after
prominent citizens, such as the minister
Of war aud the honorable superintendent
Of education.
In China, one of the most popular doll
versions IS that made Of donkey skin,
with the head of human being and the
body of fish. bird or some other animal.
This doll is fat, and, with the aid Of
sheet. and dark lantern, lends itself ad-
mirably to shadow pictures. 1t is be-
Iieved that the first puppet play, which
is being revived to such a large extent
today, originated in China.
CURIOUS CUSTOMS
OF JAPANESE.
Dolls have always been highly regarded
in Japan, where many curious customs
a
ing to one of these, every japanese baby
girl whose family could afford It, was
presented with what is known as a "hina'
IA set of dolls, representing the Mikado
and his wife and their favorite musicians
and courtiers. The "hina" was not
played with daily, like other common
dolls, but was kept in a large vault,
known as the "gowdown" and brought
forth only on holidays. Upon the mar
rage Of the Japanese maiden, the "hina"
became the property Of her husband, who
guarded 1t securely until the marriage OF
his eldest son when it would be turned
over to him. In this way doll collections
grew in Japan with every passing gener
ation so that when a prominent citizen
died his property included an enormous
and valuable doll collection.
Japan still celebrates Doll day, when
every shop is filled with dolls. More
dolls are sold on this day in Japan than
are sold In this country during Christ
mas. 1t is a day of great festivity. But
not so Doll day in India, which Is a time
of great lamentation and sadness. For
then, the little girls Of India bring their
dolls to the banks OF the River Ganges
and, weeping, throw them into its cur
rent. custom having decreed that the
h
ermore, for three months after this dra-
matte ceremonial, play with dolls is pro-
hibited, and even doll-making is regarded
with stern disfavOr.
The materials Of which dolls are made
have varied but little in all the thou
sands OF years Of their history, accord
ing to the owner OF remarkable doll
collection in Il New York art gallery.
The Greek dolls were OF wax and the
Egyptian dolls of wood and there is
still little stuffed doll in existence,
which scientists aver is 100 years old.
During all this time, moreover, doll
makers have shown the same character
istlcs That is. the ancient Greeks as
well as modern Americans have tired-at
producing ideally beautiful
dolls, and have deliberately striven to
produce sensational results in the comic
or ugly mannikin. Thus, we have the
kewpie and the golliwog and hOmely
realistic doll babies.
"Ih the fourteenth century" says this
authority. dolls had q tremendous vogue
among adults. They were made in
replica of the human form, upon which
could be displayed the latest fashions
from Paris. Royalties used to send these
deliberately dressed mannikins to each
other, and they managed to keep dull
German court entertained for days. Ex-
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