Rod Puppet

Rod Puppets

Rod puppets are a category of puppets that are controlled by rods from below. Usually a

central rod supports the head with two smaller rods to control the arms. The central rod can

sometimes be concealed by the puppets costume. The torso and arms are usually not fixed

to the central rod and so the head can move separately from the body, although in some

cases they can be fixed to the central rod. When the puppet is not a humanoid figure, then

multiple rods may replace the single central rod. The term Rod Puppet can also suggest that

the puppet is animated with any use of rods, whether from below, above or on the same plane.

Construction

Rod Puppets are made out of wood, wire and string with wooden or wire rods to manipulate it.

They can sometimes have a hinged mouth but they usually don’t and they can have fixed facial

expression. 

(Faun and Nymph, rod puppets by Richard 

Teschner, 1914; in the Puppet Theatre

Collection, Munich)

The introduction of Rod Puppets to Europe came from inspiration from Indonesia where they are most common. The Wayang Golek are a form of rod puppets from Java, Indonesia.  These are said to date back to at least  the 16th century and inspired the rod puppets that came to Europe.