A History of Puppets

Puppetry is believed to have started in ancient cultures, more than

3000 years ago. It is sometimes claimed that puppets were used in
the theater performances even before human actors. The earliest
puppets probably were in Egypt, where ivory and clay puppets have
been discovered in tombs.

Many types of puppetry developed in different parts of the world,

and some of it is still practiced today. In Japan, the bunraku puppetry
tradition evolved out of rites practiced in Shinto temples. The
Vietnamese created the unique practice of water puppetry, in which
wooden puppets appear to walk in waist-high water; this was
originally developed hundreds of years ago as a response to the
flooding of rice fields. Indonesian shadow puppets are another
example of a long-held folk tradition. Ceremonial puppets were also
used in several pre-Columbian Native American cultures.

Puppetry in Africa is art set in motion. Through the use of music and
dance, masked performers become human puppets. The colorful,
animated performances are part of life for the entire community. The
puppeteers wear large character puppets that cover their bodies
completely.

In medieval Italy, marionettes were used in the production of

morality plays by the Christian church. Later, the plays of William
Shakespeare were sometimes performed with puppets in place of
actors.

Puppets also continue to be used in many instances to appeal to

children and families, whether on television or in live performances.
Puppetry is viewed as an ideal vehicle for presenting moral
messages about childhood concepts such as bullying. Puppets are
also used in play therapy as a safe way for traumatized children to
explore their fears. Whether the focus is on adult or child enjoyment
of puppets, there are regional puppet guilds and societies through
the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. Several
national and international museums also exist to celebrate the
history of puppets.
There are many types of puppets. Each requires different skills to
bring them to life. A rod puppet is controlled by different rods that
move their arms, legs, or other joints.

A hand puppet goes over the puppeteers hand like a mitten. Three
finger provide movement for puppets body, while the thumb and
the pinky make the arms move.

A marionette is controlled by strings. In this type of puppetry, the

puppeteer stands way above the stage and controls the puppet
using a paddle connected to the strings. Pinocchio, from Disney,
was a marionette.

A moveable-mouth puppet also fits over the puppeteers hand. Four

of the fingers control the top of the mouth, while the thumb
operates the bottom jaw. The Muppets are good examples of this
kind of puppet.

Body puppets, also known as carnival puppets, are very large

puppets that are used for street spectacles or large-scale theater,
such as the live production of The Lion King.

Two unusual types of puppetry are bunraku puppets and shadow

puppets. Based in Japan, bunraku puppetry is performed with a
nearly life-sized wooden puppet that is illuminated with focused
light. The puppeteers dress in dark colors but can be indistinctly
seen by the audience, lending a shadowy presence to the
production. In shadow puppetry, the puppeteer is not seen. Instead,
a silhouetted figure is illuminated with a light source, producing
shadows that are viewed by the audience.
 A History of Puppets
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