From time to time during my black-doll obsession peaks I will entertain myself with Google searches for my obsession to see what results. A recent "black doll" search on Google led to a classic short story that features a black doll. In short, the story is about a little unloved girl whose prized possession is an Ancient Egyptian doll. I found the story interesting and wanted to share.
Read it here,
The Little Black Doll by Lucy Maud Montgomery
or have it read to you on Youtube.com by clicking the play arrow.
Lucy Maud Montgomery's short story should not be confused with Enid Blyton's children's book, The Little Black Doll, first published in 1937 wherein Sambo, the main character, "wants to be washed white, or pink, by the rain." Blyton's over-told storyline is not a topic for discussion at this time, as I found Montgomery's story about a dearly loved Ancient Egyptian black doll more palatable.
A variety of subsequent Google searches for "Egyptian black doll," "Ancient Egyptian black doll," and similar keyword searches ensued after reading Montgomery's story. I desired a visual of a doll from that period. These additional searches resulted in information on dolls and toys for play as well as and items used in Ancient Egyptian rituals.
While Montgomery's circa 1909-1922 story refers to the little black doll as one that "served to amuse a little girl... in the court of the Pharaohs" four thousand years before the unloved girl took ownership of it, and may have originated as a child's toy, there were other dolls in Ancient Egypt. According to The British Museum's website, Shabti (Ushabti) dolls "first became part of the Egyptian funerary tradition in the Middle Kingdom (about 2040-1750 BC)."
Did you know it was customary, according to funerary practice in Ancient Egypt for the wealthy, specifically Pharaohs, to be buried with multiple hand-carved dolls/figures? It was their belief that these Shabti dolls would serve as their surrogate servants in the afterlife. This implies that reincarnation existed in the minds of these ancient peoples who must have believed people would maintain their socioeconomic status, either rich or poor, in their "next" life.
Learn more about Ancient Egyptian toys and Shabti dolls at the following links:
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty
Egyptian Ushabti
Shabti Dolls
Shabti Doll Image
The Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt (Ushabtis and Paddle Dolls)
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Read it here,
The Little Black Doll by Lucy Maud Montgomery
or have it read to you on Youtube.com by clicking the play arrow.
Lucy Maud Montgomery's short story should not be confused with Enid Blyton's children's book, The Little Black Doll, first published in 1937 wherein Sambo, the main character, "wants to be washed white, or pink, by the rain." Blyton's over-told storyline is not a topic for discussion at this time, as I found Montgomery's story about a dearly loved Ancient Egyptian black doll more palatable.
A variety of subsequent Google searches for "Egyptian black doll," "Ancient Egyptian black doll," and similar keyword searches ensued after reading Montgomery's story. I desired a visual of a doll from that period. These additional searches resulted in information on dolls and toys for play as well as and items used in Ancient Egyptian rituals.
While Montgomery's circa 1909-1922 story refers to the little black doll as one that "served to amuse a little girl... in the court of the Pharaohs" four thousand years before the unloved girl took ownership of it, and may have originated as a child's toy, there were other dolls in Ancient Egypt. According to The British Museum's website, Shabti (Ushabti) dolls "first became part of the Egyptian funerary tradition in the Middle Kingdom (about 2040-1750 BC)."
 |
Shabti figures represented servants who would care for the Pharaoh in
his afterlife.
Photo courtesy of Mharrsch on Flickr.com |
Did you know it was customary, according to funerary practice in Ancient Egypt for the wealthy, specifically Pharaohs, to be buried with multiple hand-carved dolls/figures? It was their belief that these Shabti dolls would serve as their surrogate servants in the afterlife. This implies that reincarnation existed in the minds of these ancient peoples who must have believed people would maintain their socioeconomic status, either rich or poor, in their "next" life.
Learn more about Ancient Egyptian toys and Shabti dolls at the following links:
Egyptian Tomb Doll 18th Dynasty
Egyptian Ushabti
Shabti Dolls
Shabti Doll Image
The Handbook to Life in Ancient Egypt (Ushabtis and Paddle Dolls)
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