Foreword. Historical notes.             

Once, very long ago, at the dawn of mankind, one primitive man, strange in the eyes of his fellow tribesmen, took a wand in his hands. I attached a bunch of grass to it, wrapped it all with the veins of a dead rhinoceros and painted it with white clay. The tribesmen, who watched all this with interest, respectfully named him a shaman. Because he could create something unusual, could breathe life into a dead tree, speak to a piece of grass and make lifeless alive. This is how the first doll appeared on earth. This is a fairy tale, of course, but since then what kind of metamorphoses this stick with a bunch of grass has not endured. Until it became what it is for us now.

           Since then, in gratitude to that first Shaman, every modern puppet master has taken a piece of clay in his hands. And as if to justify why he needs it, he begins by inventing the story of his unborn doll. Because he creates the most ancient creature on earth and breathes life into him!   

 Dolls are the oldest toys.

             In the burial ground with the child, images of people and animals, carved from stone, dating from about 2500 BC were found. A ceramic baby rattle, which according to archaeologists is already 4000 years old, was found near Ankara (Turkey). According to unconfirmed reports, this rattle is actually the oldest such toy in the world.

          The first figurines made of wood, clay or stone were not toys. Their main purpose was to participate in rituals and serve as amulets.

           Yo-yos are considered the second oldest toy in the world after dolls. Although its exact origin is unknown, it is believed to have been invented in ancient China and used as a weapon in the Philippines for centuries. It is believed that the name "yo-yo" comes from the Tagalog word meaning "to come."

Dolls, reminiscent of modern ones, were still able to be made in Ancient Egypt. Such dolls could move their limbs, rotate their heads, and wear clothes.

The oldest Japanese traditional dolls date from 2000 BC.   

Dolls with stories.                               

A doll, being born into the world, cannot answer us who she is and why she came into this world. We tell stories for her. And everyone has their own, unique and amazing. Do you need it? I will say that this is simply necessary!

The history of the doll consists of separate chapters.

Chapter one, or why do we need a doll.

     The word Meaning is something very rational, down-to-earth and quite specific. Dolls are as old as our life, they are always with us. And what can I say, the Doll is a generalized image of a person, created from different materials.

       Play dolls, following the meaning, help to develop speech, motor skills, behavior. This is the same image of a person on which roles are shifted, some inner experiences are projected and various situations are played out. Small children, playing with a doll, imitate the actions of adults. Older children play up everyday situations, invent stories and endow the doll with a soul.

  Remember how each of you shouted - mind you! And in the hands appeared warriors, princesses, giants. The doll promotes the development of imagination, socializes. Affects mental development. A doll makes a person kinder. And here's an example. Teddy Bear was first created by Ideal Novelty and Toy Co and named after US President Theodore Roosevelt. He refused to shoot the bear while hunting.

 Morris Micht, inspired by Roosevelt's kindness, sent a prototype of his teddy bear to the president, who approved the name Teddy for him.

But there are people who are terrified of dolls. The fear of dolls is called pediophobia. And there is every reason for this, but more on that below.

Chapter two or a little about pediophobia.

Will you treat dolls lightly if these facts about them become known to you:

In the Middle Ages, doctors could not touch the body of women, so they had to carry dolls with them, on which patients showed what and where it hurts. Unsurprisingly, the death rate was high.

Until approximately the late Middle Ages, dolls were not painted with faces. People were superstitious and were afraid that an evil spirit could enter the toy through the eyes. And indeed it is. The doll exists on the edge of the worlds. She is both a vessel, and a conductor, and a completely independent entity. She is endowed with a soul that can be yours. For example, this is the world of voodoo dolls. 

               The Voodoo religion currently has over 30,000,000 followers. It is common in the USA, Africa, Asian and European countries. She, as before, is characterized by dark and light rituals. Making a voodoo doll, spells and dances around bonfires and lighted fires. The strongest sorcerers who know how to make a voodoo doll are still considered to be dark-skinned experts in this magical art.

                 Mystical dolls have been found among people since ancient times. A very interesting example is the Japanese Okiku doll.  The mystical Okiku doll is a true legend in Japan.

Although it may seem to the uninitiated that this is the most common forty-centimeter toy for a girl, dressed in a traditional kimono. But it is not as simple as it seems at first glance. The thing is, Okiku ... hair grows! Like a living person. This is a fact confirmed by many studies and examinations. To understand the reasons for this unusual phenomenon, you need to find out the history of the origin of the sinister doll. And this is another story on the verge of mysticism and reality. Here the soul of a little girl lives in her doll. Although there are scientific explanations for this legend. 

   Scary stories with a bad ending.

The world of dolls is complex, sometimes not so rosy and always endowed with mysticism. Remember the unremarkable Annabelle, the soft bun with the painted face? Unlike the on-screen version, our Annabelle is not so scary, an ordinary rag doll. But it was she who made the attention of professionals in the field of isotherics pay attention to it. Now this is the most famous doll with a very scary and strange story.

Chapter three. Artists and images created by them.

Becoming an adult and never ceasing to love a doll, we either start collecting, that is, surround ourselves with an extraordinary world of stories and knowledge related to the doll. Or we begin to create these stories ourselves. 

I always compare a collection of dolls with a collection of antique books. Everything is concentrated in one doll. Open it and read it. Here and knowledge about materials, technologies and craftsmen. The taste of painting and combination of textures. And also stories, oh, how much one doll can tell!

Mystical stories in dolls.

A lot of living stories are associated with mystical dolls, books have been written and films have been made. Chucky, Robert, Harold and Poole, this is not the whole list of scary puppet images, we love to tickle our nerves with creepy stories. But how does it feel if you create this story yourself?

I do not pretend for anything, but I also have such a doll in my arsenal. I'm talking about the old Countess, the Queen of Spades.

Wow, and she made a mess in the toy museum in St. Petersburg with Rasputin!

A doll must have a story, this is her character, her soul. Portrait, literary, fantastic and even simple characters must live, which means that they have a part of the world of the past or present. If the doll is empty and its creator did not bother to fill it with history, then something will happen that can be described in verse.

If in an old snuffbox

They do not hold tobacco for a century

Will start in a snuffbox

Damn it for sure ...

When creating a doll, you must first create the world where it should step.

  And then, having a doll with a story is always interesting, because you can read it like a book. Supplement by rereading. Telling friends, and this is always exciting, because the doll, as it were, invites you into its world, gives you the opportunity to develop your imagination.

Chapter four, or the story of one doll.

         Once upon a time, a very long time ago in old England, among the marvelous hills in the dark old forest, Queen Dockrade lived. Ancient as the Earth itself and mighty as nature itself. In her hands was a golden ball of magic, which gave the power of life to all living things. And the world of people, and the world of elves, sorcerers and gnomes. She worked magic that pervaded everything around.

But other times came and the old magic and faith were replaced by a new faith. The human world has changed. There was no room for beautiful creatures in it, only reality remained there. Queen Docrade retired in a dark forest, elves, dwarves and sorcerers quietly sailed away into the azure lands. Magic seemed to have left people forever. But one has only to go deeper into the forest, go out into a green meadow, not far from the hills of Camelot ... And you can see a tall tree as old as the world. Its trunk resembles the figure of a woman, and the branches hanging down to the ground are matted hair. At the top of its crown, a proud crown burns in the rays of the setting sun. Around the darkness and silence of desolation ... And one has only to send the last ray its farewell kiss to the Earth! The majestic Queen Docrade descends on the grass, carrying a golden ball of magic in her hands. For the umpteenth time, she releases him into the world of people, bringing peace and tranquility.

Have you seen it? Yes, right there, among the branches and moss. This is her faithful elf Freak, the eternal guardian, guarding the peace of his queen. Magic doesn't die. She lives in every blade of grass, in every living being, you just need to be able to see her. 

Queen Dockrade. Author: Natalia Churakova.

Epilogue.

Dear friends!

I have no doubt that it is you, creating your dolls, who create magic and endow your characters with beautiful and magical stories. And as long as the art of the doll lives, there will be no end to these stories, which means that magic will not die. The doll is needed, like a fairy tale told by a mother to her daughter at night. Like first love, like tenderness, like morning that always comes. Doll, this is your story, and your life will depend on how you tell it!

 Always yours,

Yours faithfully, Natalia Churakova.