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The history of miniatures in Italy is really an old, old story. It even goes back to the middle of the third century BC when the Romas minted the first coins! During archeological excavations in different sites of Italy some miniature toys have been found.

In Ancient Rome, children played with dolls made of wax or terracotta, sticks, bows and arrows and yo-yos.

Many of these small scale objects have been found in tombs as well as temples. Some were also discovered in the tomb of a girl called Graphis who died at the age of 15 from ancient Roma.

In this tomb were all her toys: thirteen (13) little lead miniaturized objects of small scale furniture were found. Among them there was a 4cm (just over 1/8") tall chair, a 3cm (just over 3/32") three-legged "mensa," a 2.5cm (between 1/16"-3/32") high cylindric box containing all of the crockery and a 2.7cm (between 1/16"-3/32") high "olla" (bowl). Also in the tomb were a pail, a covered basket, a pan with its handle, an oil lamp, two round trays, an oval fish tray, another oval simple plate and a bowl shaped like a shell. In short, the complete furnishings for a doll's house!