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| | First reference to the toys can be tracked down to ancient literary
books of old world. Images of the toys are found on ancient vessels
and fresco. But, the best evidence - the same toys were found in
various archeological periods.
Early toys of Ancient Egypt date back to middle of 3000 years BC.
These are tigers, crocodiles made of bark. Ancient craftsmen made
miniature animals with huge knowledge about their habits and nature.
In ancient Egypt, toys are first found with simple wire mechanism,
with the help of which the crocodiles could open their jaws.
Interesting toy is image of slave, pulverizing the grains. If the toy
is pulled with a thread, the toy starts moving along inclined wooden
plank.
In Italy, archeologists found many children's toys during the
excavation of Pompey, which was covered with ash after eruption of the
famous volcano in 1979. Amongst them were many rattles and ratchets.
One of the toys was a small disc with handle, to which small bells
were tied. Others were hollow figures: Ducks, horses or pigs and
stones or balls kept inside the toys to make noise.
During the excavation work of Legendary Troy, German archeologist Mr.
Shliman found rattles, toy crockery and dolls made of clay. In ancient
Greece and Rome, rattles and ratchets were gifted to newborns. By
playing with rattles, mothers and feeding ladies sang cradle songs.
Superstition is preserved from ancient times that, ratchets with their
noise drive away the evil ghosts and protect the child from them.
Many animal figures were found in Siberian territory: Mammoth,
rhinoceros, bears, lioness, camels and birds. They were made of soft
gravel - marl before 35 - 12 thousand years BC. Items made of tusk and
soft stone were also found in Ukraine and in other regions.
Craftsmanship of Stone Age sculptors, who created the "Venus" figures
found near Voronezh, amazes. Clay figures of human-beings, birds and
horses were also found in Ukraine dating back to 4-3 thousand years
BC. Archeologists found large quantity of wooden items on the
territory of Novgorod.
Rocking horses, made in V century BC are very famous toys. Horses were
one of the favorite toys of children of Ancient Greece. Many miniature
horses and horse-riders are made from clay.
Dolls are famous from very ancient times. Ancient Egyptian doll is
about 4 thousand years old. Various types of dolls were found: Rugged
logs without hands and legs, with hands and legs in the form of thin
sticks, with cuts at hands and ankles. Examples are available of toys
with perfectly cutout body, with hands and legs, having shoulder,
elbow and knee joints. Heads of such dolls were decorated with wigs
made from wooden and textile beads. Dolls were worship items and were
used in religious rituals. For example, ancient Egypt dolls were
funeral gifts. It is considered that, human images could come to live
and influence on the fate of people.
Large quantity of dolls was found on the territories of Ancient Greece
and Rome. These dolls also had religious nature. Girls used to store
them with care till marriage and on the eve of marriage, offered these
dolls to Artemis and Venus. Even the playing dolls were found.
Playing dolls were made from clay, wood and often had movable hands
and legs since the legs and hands were tied to the body using threads
and sticks. For children of grand people, dolls were made very
carefully of expensive materials. Even marionettes-dolls were
available during this period.
At the same time, iron hoop was famous. Iron hoop was driven using
sticks. Sometimes, small balls were fastened to the hoop and it made
sound while rolling. Swing, whipping top, sandals, blocks,
knucklebones, dices & nuts - these were all the children's favorite
fun items even in these days.
In middle century, history of toys remains unexplained. First
information belongs to springing up of new Western Europe life. Even
the word "Toys" appeared, for example, in France only after year 1523.
In middle centuries, production of toys was exclusively taken up by
carpenters of Limozh, wood cutters in the mountains Ural towards
North-East from Lyon and primitive craftsmen of old Nierenberg. Very
few were manufactured in Paris: Tiny wooden flutes, whistles, balls
and cues. Maximum production of toys in France was done at Nierenberg.
Even from the past, this city represented as toys market, marketplace
for entire world. Nierenberg had competition only with Strasburg,
which was renowned for mechanical toys.
In XVI year, manufacturers started the production of dolls on order.
Price for doll was very high since the dolls were miniature models:
Mothers studied the fashion using toys and daughters played with them.
Cheap toys were not manufactured in Paris except for dolls from
plaster of Paris, which broke even at slightest of a fall. Before the
start of XIX century, aristocratic French toy preserves the nature of
artistic applied art.
Cheap toys appeared in France at the end of XVI century but the
production was primitive. "Syndicate of French toys manufacturers" was
formed only in XIX century. Since then, a new industry started
developing. History of German toys clearly indicates close
relationship of toys with culture, way of life, family structure and
field. Of all the high quality expensive toys, manufactured in
Germany, renowned doll houses with full facilities, vessels and
domestic utensils are more interesting culturally memorable
collection. Since the toys were highly expensive, who so could
purchase such toys allowed children only to admire them.
Artistic-toy-making skills spread in Saxony and in Turing. There is
evidence that production of wooden toys existed here even in XIV
century.
Demand for the toys increases with the increase of cities and trading
of toys becomes profitable. Production of toys became even more
diversified when started using dough, prepared from cheap rye flour. |
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Over 1.5 million of "Thomas & Friends" train toys are recalled in the US due to toxic levels of lead they contain which may result in poisoning if digested. The toys were manufactured in China and sold in US shops from 2005 till June 2007. If you remember pet food produced in China already poisoned many American pets. Now it's the toxic toys for our children.
