Russian Dolls - Matryoshka

Russian dolls are famous all over the world. Their official name is Matryoshka, which is derived from the Russian word for 'mother' - mat'. Other names for the dolls include Babushka (the Russian word for 'Grandmother'), and Russian nesting dolls.

Origins of Matryoshka dolls

The Russian nesting doll is a lot younger than you might realise, and has only been around for a little over 100 years. It was the creation of a Russian by the name of Mamontov, who was a businessman and patron of the arts. He discovered a Japanese religious icon, which was made of two sections. When opened, it contained another 5 figurines, and it inspired him with the idea for Matryoshka.

So, the first doll was made in the workshop of Mamontov in 1898. It consisted of 8 dolls, starting with a girl, then a boy, and alternating in this fashion until the last doll, a baby.

In 1900, the Russian doll received an award (and international recognition) at an exhibition in Paris. Since then, it has found admirers all over the world, and become one of the most well-recognised symbols of Russian culture.

Souvenir or Toy?

We all recognise the Matryoshka as a souvenir, but their original purpose was as a toy for children, and a very useful one indeed. It teaches small children important physical development skills - assembling and pulling the dolls apart, and comparing colors, height, width and volume.

As a general rule, the dolls are made from the wood of deciduous trees such as birch, or the lime tree (which is considered the best).

Where to Buy

Today, there are so many different versions of the dolls and they can be found in shops all around the world. On any visit to Russia or Ukraine, it will be hard to resist purchasing an authentic set of nesting dolls from one of the many small markets and gift stores you'll see.

Naturally, we can't all make it to Russia to buy them! So we recommend the Russian online giftstore Russian Legacy, Inc. They have hundreds of designs, ranging from traditional Russian styles to cute and humorous modern sets.

Here are a just a few of the Matryoshka dolls available there:

'Russian Autumn'	'Luxurious Russian Lady' (set 1)
'Lady in the Woods'	'Emerald & Gold'
'Russian Composers'	'Russian Ballet' (set 1)
'Golden Ring of Russia' (set 2)	'Quadrille'
'10 Dictators and Rulers'	'Soviet & Russian Leaders' (set 07)
'Russian-American Friendship'	'Nine American Presidents & Flag' (set 1)
'Kittens' (set 2)	'Yellow Labrador Retriever'
'Undressing Woman' (05 pcs / exclusive)	'Undressing Man' (05 pcs / exclusive)
'Russian Marines'	'KGB Agents'
Custom Sports Nesting Doll	'Russian Sauna'