History of German Porcelain dolls of the 19th and 20th centuries

• Published in: Maǧallaẗ Al-Turāṯ wa Al-Taṣmīm
• Main Author: Prof.Dr.Rasha Abdel Moneim, Lect.Hany Mohamed Mohamed Sabry Researcher.Sara Armia
• Format: Article
• Language: Arabic
• Published: The Arab Association of Civilization and Islamic Arts 2025-06-01
• Subjects: nanking; bisque; knotters; kewpie. porcelain
• ISSN: 2735-5071; 2735-508X

Dolls are miniature forms of human beings. Studying dolls, which date back either to prehistoric or historical periods, provides us with an understanding of the evolution of human culture and its development, regardless of whether those dolls were considered religious, fertility amulets, used for magical purposes, or regarded as first prototypes, or fashion dolls. They were made of various materials, such as clay, wood, etc. there is historical evidence that dolls are among the oldest toys known to man. Prehistoric dolls, especially Greek ones, were characterized by their short arms. Although dolls were discovered in adult graves for funerary purposes, they were not found in child graves. In Europe, especially Germany, clay dolls were made in the 13th century AD. In the 15th century, there was a shift towards wood peg dolls. Wood remained the primary material in making dolls until the 19th century AD in Europe. In 1207 AD, the city of Sonneberg emerged as a midpoint on the trade routes from Nuremberg to Leipzig. Due to the abundance of trees in north Sonneberg many wooden goods were produced. Dolls appeared as additional goods among the trade goods, and this continued until the outbreak of the Thirty years war, when merchants moved to Leipzig and established export branches in other regions. This in turn led wood carvers to move to Sonneberg, making it a major center for the manufacture of dolls. German regions were distinguished for developing this industry and choosing