A doll is an object that represents a baby or other human being,
but includes likenesses of animals and imaginary creatures.
Dolls have been around since the dawn of human civilization, and
have been fashioned from a vast array of materials, ranging from
stone, clay, wood, bone, cloth and paper, to porcelain, china,
rubber and plastic. While dolls have traditionally been toys for
children, they are also collected by adults, for their nostalgic
value, beauty, historical importance or financial value. In
ancient times, dolls were used as representations of a deity,
and played a central role in religious ceremonies and rituals.
Lifelike or anatomically correct dolls are used by health
professionals, medical schools and social workers to train
doctors and nurses in various health procedures or investigate
cases of sexual abuse of children. Artists sometimes use jointed
wooden mannequins in drawing the human figure. Action figures
representing superheroes and their predecessors, action dolls,
are particularly popu