Dolls have been a part and parcel of the human race since the pre-historic era. Archaeologists have found evidence of dolls in various places across Egypt that date back to the 200 BC. Dolls have also been found in the tombs of kids which indicate that dolls were considered precious possessions. Be it as religious figures or toys, the earliest dolls were made up of clay, wood, bone etc. There is no distinct division between the use of dolls for play things or religious purposes. While in the African culture dolls were used as means of teaching and entertaining children, in some regions they were also used in ritual purposes. The use of dolls is widely prevalent in the Japanese culture; the ‘Dogu’ figures that are clay figurines depicting humans or animals date back to 8000 BC.
The practice of using an effigy to cast a spell on someone is found in many African, Native American and European cultures. The ‘nkishi’ in Africa and poppet in Europe are dolls that are used in witchcraft. The human like figures are used for performing a spell on the intended person. Even the voodoo dolls were quite popular among the African-Americans.
So as we can see dolls are not always cute and well-groomed like the Barbie but throughout history they have been associated with black magic and everything haunting. Here we can see a doll dressed in a pretty dress who impersonates a tiny toddler, all complete with the giggling smiles. She waits for you to hold her extended hand and the moment you hold it – lo and behold – she starts walking alongside you. The mechanized doll which probably has a sensor has been doing rounds of the social media. Believed to be from the 70’s or 80’s the doll was most likely used for teaching kids to walk.
Some might scream out their lungs as it can be creepy to see a lifeless doll walking beside you. You might want to try it with your friends and spook them this Halloween. Share it with your friends and family to get in the mood for the upcoming festive season.
