© Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
Omeka ID 1868
Tàrraco. Necròpolis Paleocristiana
Roman world

ivory doll

MNAT-P-12906

Object type
doll
Production date
201 / 400
Fabric
-
Museum
Museu Nacional Arqueològic de Tarragona
Culture
Roman world
Discovery location
Tàrraco. Necròpolis Paleocristiana
Materials
ivory
Township
Tarragona (Europa, Espanya, Catalunya, Tarragona, Tarragonès)
Technique
-
Where is it?
Exposició permanent
Dimensions
23 x 6,5 x 1,5 cm
Description
An ivory doll with articulated arms and legs. Found in the sarcophagus of a young girl in the Early Christian Necropolis of Tarragona. It would have been part of the grave goods of the girl, who died at the age of five or six. We know of other examples of Roman articulated dolls made with different materials such as bone, ivory and, most commonly, pottery (most of them found fragmented). The remains of gold thread found next to the piece confirm that, like today, these dolls were dressed in clothes that imitated those of children and adults. This is one of the most emblematic items of Tarragona archaeology.