Cossinia's Doll

This is Cossinia's doll, she is a jointed ivory doll from the first or second century AD or CE.  The doll is anatomically correct, about twelve inches tall and has a gold necklace, gold bracelets and anklets.  She even has the hairstyle sported by the empress Julia Domina shown in the photograph below. The photograph of the doll was taken by Barbara McManus of the VRoma Project
and having ferreted around I found out a little about Cossinia herself.  Cossinia, the daughter of Lucius, was a Vestal Virgin for sixty six years and was buried at Tivoli, the doll was found in Cossinia's tomb resting against her cheek and her shoulder, a very precious possession. Sadly the doll was removed  from Cossinia's tomb, before being taken to Rome, Cossinia's tomb being resealed. 

Girls coming of age dedicated their dolls to Diana, the goddess most concerned with young girls and their girlhood, or the doll would be dedicated to Venus if the young woman was contemplating marriage.  In Cossinia's case she kept her doll as a sign of her chastity and innocence.  It is said that she could have retired from her calling as Vestal Virgin after thirty years but she earned the love and respect of the people by choosing to stay in office and remain in the seclusion of the order.  I think this doll is just wonderful and would love to have seen her dressed in her Roman finery, the detail is great.  Such a precious object would surely have had silk tunics and stola to finish her off.  It is interesting that she is a fully adult woman and not a baby doll or a little girl.  Other Roman dolls have been found that are made from clay or wood as well as bone and ivory but nearly all seem to be of adult women.  I wonder if dolls for younger girls were made of fabric, softer and less likely to break.  A rag doll made within the confines of the home being fabric would probably not have survived the passage of time but it is interesting to have a glimpse of a treasured doll owned by a woman living so long ago.