October 2010, Issue 9
Dollhouse Tourism
Page 20
Continue Dollhouse Tourism
A similar collection of furniture for a dollhouse was found in the temple of Venus at Anxur (Terracina) with all the necessary items to arrange a comfortable home.
In 1899, on the Tiber's banks, during work for the Justice Palace of Rome the coffin of Crepereia Tryphaene was found. The waters of the Tiber had permeated and filled it, but when the covering was removed inside were the bones of the girl and her doll. A very beautiful, but also a very dark-skinned doll roughly 23cm (a little over 9") tall.
At first, the color of the wonderful "pupa" made archaeologists think that she had been created from oak or even ebony wood, now hardened and nearly petrified for the long period immersed in water. But tests would later reveal it to be ivory. In ancient times her perfect snowy whiteness must have been beautiful. Probably a veil of incarnate gave her cheeks a light pink, her lips were certainly a brilliant red and either brown or blue gave a natural hue to her so sweet eyes.
Besides the doll, the archaeologist found a very small jewel-case covered by ivory panels in the coffin. It was broken but still contained two miniature combs and two small spy-glasses for the doll's toilette. At one time it likely also contained the little jewels that ornamented the doll, but these were found scattered in the sarcophagus.
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