Who Created the First Marionettes?

A marionette is a puppet controlled from above by strings that have been attached to its joints, or, less commonly, by rods attached to portions of the body that can be used to cause the marionette to move. Puppeteers who work with marionettes are called "manipulators."

Marionettes are commonly used today, as evidenced by such shows as "Howdy Doody" and "Team America: World Police." However, archaeologists and historians have found evidence that marionette's popularity is not bound by time or locale.

Egypt

Archaeologists have uncovered marionettes in the Egyptian archaeological records that date back to 2000 B.C. These puppets were constructed of ivory and clay and have been found in tombs. Archaeologists have also found evidence of marionettes that were manipulated to participate in rituals and religious ceremonies and to emulate everyday activities, such as kneading bread.

Greece and Rome

The first evidence of marionettes in classical history dates from 422 B.C. A Greek writer by the name of Xenephon wrote about string-pulled puppets. Aristotle, Plato, Plutarch and Herodotus' writings also included references to marionettes. Historians and archaeologists have found evidence that "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" were presented with marionettes; writings discussing Archimedes using puppets have been discovered. The evidence of marionettes in Greece and Rome isn't exclusive to written histories--archaeologists have found physical evidence of marionettes made from clay and ivory in Greek and Roman children's tombs.

Myanmar

Beginning in the fifteenth century, marionettes were an important part of Myanmar culture. Entire troups of manipulators and their marionettes were commissioned and maintained by the royalty. They were used in Myanmar to present the news from the capital, as a means to present bad news to the king from his subjects and as a medium for the king to reprimand members of his family so none of the family would "lose face." Often, these messages were presented in the form of parable plays--the average audience member wouldn't be aware of the real meaning behind the story, but those who were aware of the circumstances would be able to decipher the play's underlying meaning.

Marionettes were also used in public performances. Unlike humans, they were allowed to dance on stage and perform in plays. They could also say things in performance that a Myanmar citizen would never be allowed to say. Myanmar marionettes were carefully constructed by their manipulators from wood, often Yamane, and human hair. Red ink was used to draw in sexual organs, and a paste made of talc and tamarind seeds was used to paint the face, hands and feet.

Europe

Possibly because of its Roman heritage, Italy is commonly considered the birthplace of the marionette.
Originally, marionettes were used in Italian morality plays, but eventually they were used in epics like "The Song of Roland" and in operas for adults. It was not unusual for operas to have been written specifically for manipulators and their marionettes. Mozart mentioned seeing marionettes as a child, and Gluck, Haydn, de Falla and Respighi all composed operas for marionettes.

The tradition of using marionettes as opera performers continues to this day--some portions of Germany still use marionettes in operas, and the Salsburg, Austria Salzburg Marionette Theater is a popular cultural attraction.

North America

Though other Native American tribes may have had marionettes, so far archaeological and historical evidence of marionettes has been found only among the Hopi, a southwestern tribe. Since before Columbus landed in the New World, during the month of March the Hopi have performed their "Palu Lakonti," a great serpent drama. During this play, marionettes in the form of large snakes are depicted as rising from the ground and flowing across fields.

References

• Marionettes from Myanmar and Their Story
• History of Marionettes