Think back a little while and try to remember your favorite toy growing up.
Was it a doll? A stuffed animal? Maybe something with wheels you could roll along in your house, or something with moving parts you could play with?
The memory of a favorite toy is something that people all across the globe have, and the love we have for these objects is a strong one that everyone understands — kids and adults alike.
After all, it seemed like common sense to make sure one little girl's favorite stuffed bunny got the royal treatment when it was left behind at a hotel.
Maybe it's because we never really grow out of loving toys. Toys have been around for as long as there have been people, and some of those toys have survived until today!
Now we can take a look at how kids — and grown-ups — played thousands of years ago. You might even recognize some of these toys. They bear a striking resemblance to the toys kids still play with today!
Were you surprised by these ancient toys? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
A cat pull-toy from Ancient Egypt...
You might have pulled a car behind you, but kids in ancient Egypt pulled a cat.
...And a dog from Mexico!
In the Olmec civilization in Mexico, kids pulled dogs.
In fact, there were pull-toys everywhere!
This striped cow comes from the Trypillian culture in what is now Ukraine, and dates back to about 3950 BCE.
Instead of toy cars, there were toy chariots.
This toy chariot comes from Persia, and dates to 2000 BCE.
There were toy riders, too.
This horse and rider come from the Roman Empire, and are made of ceramic.
Games of chance and strategy were also common in ancient times.
Some dice, like this set from Rome, are recognizable even today, some 2,000 years later!
But some of the details have been lost.
The smaller, bronze die has a familiar pattern, but the larger, clay one has pictures. Both come from ancient Greece.
Board games were popular all over the world.
This modern replica shows a game from Crete from about 1600 BCE.
Players would race to the finish, and the game told a story about going to and returning from the underworld.
They taught strategy, and were a lot of fun — just like today!
This game from the Celtic civilization in Ireland was called Fidchell, which might have been like chess, but we're still not sure about the rules!
Some games haven't changed at all.
This stone board game from the second century is an early form of backgammon, one of the oldest game in the world still played today.
Even royalty enjoyed board games.
The Royal Game of Ur was discovered in today's Iraq, complete with a tablet explaining the rules, and dates back to before 2600 BCE. It's thought that it's a precursor to many modern board games, including backgammon.
And of course there were dolls!
This Roman doll from the first century CE is made of ivory and has posable limbs.
Humans have always liked playing with little versions of themselves.
This wooden doll is 1,800 years old and was found in the grave of a Roman child.
But toys didn't have to be elaborate to be beloved.
This horse you was carved from a single piece of wood, and was loved by a Viking child in the 900s.
And yes, there were action figures, too.
This little bronze knight, whose wooden lance has been replaced recently, was made in the 1200s, and would have been played with by a wealthier child.
It's pretty amazing that toys have really changed so little in thousands of years!
SHARE this adorable history with your friends, and let us know what your favorite toy was in the comments!
