For this half of the post, I mostly wanted to concentrate on images of the cemeteries, with the graves decorated and turned into shrines. There are also some of the Catrinas, which have an interesting history. The Mexican printmaker and cartoonist, Jose Guadalupe Posada, created the print of the famous Calavera de la Catrina sometime between 1910 and 1913 as a caricature of the Native Mexican upper class women who took to wearing the clothing of the European aristocracy in pre-revolutionary Mexico (this information obtained from wiki). This year marks the 100th anniversary of his death–just an interesting fact my boyfriend pointed out. It was this print, Calavera de la Catrina who made them so incredibly popular.
Calavara de la Catrina (Between 1910-1913)
Jose Guadalupe Posada
There is much, much more to Dia de los Muertos than I’ve shown here. It was a spur of the moment idea for something much more complicated than I realized. I like lights and am attracted to sparkly bright things and bright colors (just not to wear) so am drawn to the celebration without knowing enough to really offer discourse on it. I will try to find some books to list at the end of the post as references for anyone interested in further research. For now, though, there are just the pretty pictures. I almost forgot–there are innumerable very cool different kinds of folk art associated with Dia de los Muertos. There are the skeleton bands and dancers, important figures, cart drivers–anything you can think of. I’ve seen more than I found pictures of. Or possibly wanted to flood people with. I’ll start with those, along with the Catrinas.
Catrinas
Dancing
Arbol de la Vida 2
Juan Hernandez
Arbol de la Vida 6
Juan Hernandez
A very lively audience. Someone seems to have lost their head!
Dia de los Gatitos Muertos
Wedding Couple
Frida
Insert exclamation of choice here. It’s very shocking. Or funny.
Oingo Boingo in their earlier days. I think they were influenced by this holiday, though… It’s a Dead Man’s Party…
Homer Simpson
Day of the Dead
What is the world coming to?
Divisible skull
or
A splitting headache
From here, there are the equivalent of smaller shrines, box shrines, that are fascinating.
Lady of Guadalupe
Marrowlyn Monroe
Box Altar
Very nice two shelf small box altar
Open Box Shrines
Frida Kahlo Altar
Stained glass full sized Calavera–from Etsy shop dealer
Raw Food Calavera
This one is pretty amusing.
Before going any further, I found a blog from Christina Acosta, and she lists the traditional things left at an altar:
Composition of a Dia de los Muertos Ofrenda (altar of offerings):
• Water – Source of Life
• Salt – Purification
An effigy of the deceased (in photo) made of loofas draped in her clothing is the centerpiece of this huge ofrenda (altar) taking up an entire bedroom. Note the beauty and care put into every aspect of the decorations and offerings.
• Candle or light – Eternal love
• Copal or incense Offering to the gods – Transmits prayers
• Flowers — the yellow flowers represent the sun, wealth and light to help souls find their way. The white flowers represent purity and often represent children.
• Mat, bed, table — a symbolic place of rest for souls. This is often the surface on which the altar rests.
• Toys — for young souls.
• Bread, tamales — sustenance
• The neck and the canes (bones) in the form of a wheel — this is the symbol on the Pan de Muerto, the traditional bread for Dia de los Muertos
• Items that pleased the deceased person and usually a photo, sometimes an effigy draped in the deceased’s clothing.
Candy skulls made of sugar or chocolate are traditional food items for the Dia de los Muertos altar. I took this photo detail of the food offering at a public ofrenda (altar) in Tpotzlan, Mexico.
http://www.cristinaacosta.com/blog/2009/10/the-colors-of-dia-de-los-muertos-the-day-of-the-dead/
I wanted to post pictures of the food (which ended up making me hungry and some of the decorations before proceeding to the actual shrines themselves.
Skull and Crossbones Pande Muertos
Sweet cemetery.
Fiambre–I actually remember having something similar to this in Costa Rica, only it was more like potato salad with beets.
Ofrenda
Finger foods–I have no idea what these are
Mexican sugar calaveras–these have quite a lot of personality.
Calavera cookies
Shop for buying Dia de Los Muertos goodies here
Tamales wrapped in banana leaves–the wrapping depends on where you are. I was in Costa Rica and we had banana leaves. In Mexico, Corn husks.
Corn husk wrapped tamales
Candied pumpkin or squash–chilacayote
Pan de Muertos
Dia de los Muertos spicy beef tacos.
Fiambre closer to what I had in Costa Rica as a special dish for Christmas.
Sugar Coffins
Calaveras y Pan de Muertos.
Calavera
Now, onto the shrines.
Shrine in someone’s home.
![muertos[1]](https://livinginbeautifulworlds.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/muertos1.jpg?w=300&h=225)
Skull, candles, and tequila.
Altars in Cleveland
Decorations up at the Boston Peabody Museum.
Cutout Decorations
Home Altar
Community Shrine Outdoors.
Well, I think that’s it for me. I’m afraid references will have to wait until tomorrow. My cat, as always when I’m up too late, is waiting for me to go to bed. Thank you for visiting Dia de los Muertos!
![muertos[1]](https://livinginbeautifulworlds.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/muertos1.jpg)
Living in Beautiful Worlds 
You must be logged in to post a comment.