The History Of Handmade Faceless Dolls - Updated February 2015 - Part IV - Dominican Republic Dolls

In the Dominican Republic ceramic "faceless" dolls (Limé Dolls or Nativity Figures) like those shown in the picture on the right from the GoDominicanRepublic.com website are handcrafted of clay or ceramic and dressed in bright, colorful traditional clothing.

These dolls were originally created in 1981 by Liliana Mera Limé and depict all different sorts of Dominican country life. Some hold flowers, some carry baskets on their heads, some carry pots, etc.

Legend has it that the dolls are "faceless" because the Dominicans are a very diverse and mixed population (i.e. 75) of the population is mixed of Spanish, French, Indian, and African heritage) and it's impossible to create a doll with a face representing all Dominican women as no one knows for sure what one would look like as the population is so mixed. So, the doll is "faceless" as a symbol of an all-inclusive culture and to remind everyone that differences in color and appearance are meaningless.

The Dominican Creations website has a page on Dominican Faceless Red Clay and Porcelanicron dolls like the one pictured on the left that are very popular with tourists and which they also sell on their website. They come in various sizes and colors and are sculptured from red clay or porcelanicron. They are handmade and hand painted by artisans from the town of Higuerito, Moca located in the Espaillat region of the Dominican Republic .

Another legend of the Dominican Republican is the "faceless" dolls are handcrafted of glazed terra cotta and represent women selling produce door to door. They were vendors for the various cities and towns and were called "Machantas" which means merchant. They are "faceless" to this day to represent all the housewives who bought their produce for years.