Puppetry is one of the oldest forms of theatre, dating back 30,000 years. It has been used in most human societies throughout history to communicate ideas and stories. Different puppet styles developed across ancient Egypt, Asia, India, China, Japan and other regions. There are many types of puppets including hand puppets, marionettes, finger puppets, rod puppets, shadow puppets and more. Puppetry remains an important art form around the world today.