On view at the Museum: The Society Sector
Sugar skulls
Contemporary Era, North America
AL7956
To remind them of the brevity of life, and to remember the deceased, the pre-Columbian civilisations of Mexico would decorate their altars with human skulls. This practice disappeared after the Spanish Conquest, and was replaced by the confection of sugar calaveritas, which were first created in the area around Azcapotzalco in 1563.
Datasheet
- Type: Food
- Place of origin: Mexico
- Materials and techniques: Colouring Paper Sugar
- Date: circa 2000
- Dimensions: 8 x 6 x 6 / 3 x 3 x 3 cm
- Weight: 222 g
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Knowledge
The Day of the Dead, a bridge between two worlds
The Mexican 'El Día de los Muertos' (the Day of the Dead) originates from a cultural blend of pre-Columbian rituals and Catholic tradition. It marks a time when the living and the deceased are as one, to celebrate the importance of living together. They reunite, both in the home and in the cemetery, for a festive meal of the deceased’s favourite food and drink.
