Skulls decorated to be part of one of the altars during the celebration of Day of the Dead

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The Day of the Dead is a festivity celebrated in Mexico and some Central American countries, as well as many communities in the United States, where there is a large Mexican and Central American population. Unesco has declared the festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The origins of the Day of the Dead in Mexico predate the arrival of Spaniards. There are examples of celebrations in the Mexica, Maya, Purepecha and Totonac ethnic groups. Rituals celebrating the life of the ancestors are made in these civilizations at least three thousand years ago. In pre-Hispanic era it was common practice to keep skulls as trophies and display them during the rituals to symbolize death and rebirth.

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Size: 5337px × 3559px
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico
Photo credit: © Nacho Calonge / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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