The History Of Faceless Dolls - Updated February 2015 - Part III - Marafona Dolls of Portugal

Portugal has a history of faceless dolls, like those shown in the picture to the left, which are known as marafona dolls dressed in traditional outfits which are used as part of the Festival of the Crosses celebration in Monsanto, Portugal.

In the 2nd century B.C. the local population of Monsanto fought against the Roman occupation. When the villagers ability to resist was at the end and they were out of food they threw a cow with its stomach full of their provisions of wheat from the Castle of Monsanto ramparts to fool the Romans into thinking they still had supplies and could continue resisting the Roman occupation.  The trick worked and the Romans lifted their siege of Monsanto.