A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. Puppetry is an ancient form of theatre which dates back to the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece.
Traditional hand puppets
A Kathputli show in Mandawa, Rajasthan, India
Ancient Greek terracotta puppet dolls, 5th/4th century BC, National Archaeological Museum, Athens
Medieval knight puppets do battle in the Hortus deliciarum. Each puppet is manipulated by both puppeteers.
Puppetry is a form of theatre or performance that involves the manipulation of puppets – inanimate objects, often resembling some type of human or animal figure, that are animated or manipulated by a human called a puppeteer. Such a performance is also known as a puppet production. The script for a puppet production is called a puppet play. Puppeteers use movements from hands and arms to control devices such as rods or strings to move the body, head, limbs, and in some cases the mouth and eyes of the puppet. The puppeteer sometimes speaks in the voice of the character of the puppet, while at other times they perform to a recorded soundtrack.
Gioppino and Brighella puppet show in Bergamo, Italy
Wayang Golek Performance (3D Wooden Puppet), Indonesia
The Ganesh: a puppet from Nepal
Chinese shadow puppet (Beijing style)