Puppetry is a very ancient art form, probably first originating about 30,000 years ago [6]. Puppets have been used since the earliest times to animate and communicate the ideas and needs of human societies.[7] Some historians claim that they pre-date actors in theatre. There is evidence that they were used in Egypt as early as 2000 BC when string-operated figures of wood were manipulated to perform the action of kneading bread. Wire controlled, articulated puppets made of clay and ivory have also been found in Egyptian tombs. Hieroglyphs also describe 'walking statues' being used in Ancient Egyptian religious dramas.[6] The oldest written record of puppetry can be found in the written records of Xenophon dating from around 422 B.C. [8]
[edit] Asia
Puppeteer from Rajasthan (India)
.
Evidence of earliest puppetry comes from the excavations at the Indus Valley Civilization.[9] Archaeologists have unearthed terracotta dolls with detachable heads capable of manipulation by a string dating to 2500 BC.[9] Other excavations include terracotta animals which could be manipulated up and down a stick—-archiving minimum animation in both cases.[9] The epic Mahabharata; Tamil literature from the Sangam Era, and various literary works dating from the late centuries BCE to the early centuries of the Common Era—including Ashokan edicts—describe puppets.[10] Works like the Natya Shastra and the Kamasutra elaborate on puppetry in some detail.[11] The Javanese Wayang theater was influenced by Indian traditions.[12] Europeans developed puppetry as a result of extensive contact with the Eastern World.[13] Some scholars trace the origin of puppets to India 4000 years ago, where the main character in Sanskrit plays was known as sutradhara 'the holder of strings'.[14]
China has had a flourishing history of puppetry for 2000 years, originally in pi-ying xi, the "theatre of the lantern shadows", or, as it is more commonly known today, Chinese shadow theatre. By the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), puppets played to all social classes including the courts, yet puppeteers (as in Europe) were considered from a lower social strata.[6] In Taiwan, budaixi puppet shows, somewhat similar to the Japanese Bunraku, occur with puppeteers manipulating in the background or underground. Some very experienced puppeteers can manipulate their puppets to perform various stunts (e.g. somersaults in the air).
Japan has many forms of puppetry. Perhaps the most famous is the bunraku. This developed out of Shinto temple rites, gradually becoming a highly sophisticated form of puppetry. Bunraku owes much to the two great puppeteers, Gidayu Takemoto and Monzaemon Chikamatsu.[15] By 1730 it required three puppeteers to operate each puppet in full view of the audience.[6] Originally, the puppeteers (dressed all in black) would become invisible when standing against a black background, while the torches illuminated only the carved wooden, beautifully painted and costumed puppets.
[edit] Asia
Puppeteer from Rajasthan (India)
.
Evidence of earliest puppetry comes from the excavations at the Indus Valley Civilization.[9] Archaeologists have unearthed terracotta dolls with detachable heads capable of manipulation by a string dating to 2500 BC.[9] Other excavations include terracotta animals which could be manipulated up and down a stick—-archiving minimum animation in both cases.[9] The epic Mahabharata; Tamil literature from the Sangam Era, and various literary works dating from the late centuries BCE to the early centuries of the Common Era—including Ashokan edicts—describe puppets.[10] Works like the Natya Shastra and the Kamasutra elaborate on puppetry in some detail.[11] The Javanese Wayang theater was influenced by Indian traditions.[12] Europeans developed puppetry as a result of extensive contact with the Eastern World.[13] Some scholars trace the origin of puppets to India 4000 years ago, where the main character in Sanskrit plays was known as sutradhara 'the holder of strings'.[14]
China has had a flourishing history of puppetry for 2000 years, originally in pi-ying xi, the "theatre of the lantern shadows", or, as it is more commonly known today, Chinese shadow theatre. By the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), puppets played to all social classes including the courts, yet puppeteers (as in Europe) were considered from a lower social strata.[6] In Taiwan, budaixi puppet shows, somewhat similar to the Japanese Bunraku, occur with puppeteers manipulating in the background or underground. Some very experienced puppeteers can manipulate their puppets to perform various stunts (e.g. somersaults in the air).
Japan has many forms of puppetry. Perhaps the most famous is the bunraku. This developed out of Shinto temple rites, gradually becoming a highly sophisticated form of puppetry. Bunraku owes much to the two great puppeteers, Gidayu Takemoto and Monzaemon Chikamatsu.[15] By 1730 it required three puppeteers to operate each puppet in full view of the audience.[6] Originally, the puppeteers (dressed all in black) would become invisible when standing against a black background, while the torches illuminated only the carved wooden, beautifully painted and costumed puppets.
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