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Paper dolls

Paper dolls have existed in many forms over many cultures. The material itself, paper, was first known to be created in China around 105 C.E. This was accomplished by a courtier from Lei-yang named Ts'ai-Lin.

The earliest recorded paper dolls were developed in 900 C.E. Japan. This is as far as history shows, at least. Paper itself doesn't always last so long, so they may have originated earlier. The creations of the year 900 in Japan were used as part of a purification ceremony involving miniature boats.

How paper dolls moved to the West is not a well documented matter. They seem to have come into popularity during the 18th century for both the British and the French. For the French, they may have originated with marionette-like figures for satirical stories. The early British incarnations, on the other hand, had moral stories mixed with the dolls for a completely different focus.

 

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