The History Center of Olmsted County (Rochester, Minnesota) is holding a Facebook contest: What is the creepiest doll in their collection? Nine dolls were featured, one a day, for Facebook users to vote for. The top three dolls will be on display during the Halloween Week. Personally, I think all of them should be on display.
Each doll is unique. The dolls were donated to the museum
and run the gamut in terms of material and age. Curator Dan Nowakowski posted
pictures and videos of the dolls, which are still posted for viewing.
My favorite is a handmade doll circa 1850. The head was made of cloth and then painted flesh tone. Over time, the paint has chipped off making the doll appear faceless. She’s also missing her right arm. How creepy is that! (Actually, she’s very sad looking, in need of the Cleaner in Toy Story 2.)
Generally, dolls were not made to creep kids out. They have
been made from all types of materials. The only criterion is that they resemble
human form. In 2017, news broke that a soapstone doll’s head was found in a
child’s grave in the Republic of Khakassia, in southern Siberia. This doll
dates back 4,500 years to the Bronze Age, thus making it the oldest doll ever
discovered. Another doll that was dated 4,000 years old was found on the Italian
island Pantelleria in 2004. Before then, archeologists had discovered dolls all
the way back to Ancient Egypt (2000 BC). Dolls are considered the first type of
toys made.
Most people are not afraid of dolls (pediophobia). Instead, dolls
make people uneasy. More females (66%) fear dolls compared to males (34%).
Children and teenagers, under the age of 18 fear dolls at 45%. That number
drops 1 percent to 44% for people ages 18-34. The older someone gets, the least
likely he fears dolls. Which is interesting since dolls were essentially made
for children.
Dolls are an easy target for horror movies. But have no
fear; most are harmless.
