History Page

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Links to Mexican History, Culture and Maps	A Brief History of Day of the Dead	Links to Images
Pre-Hispanic Interactive Map of Mexico - this map shows the locations of precolumbian populations from 20,000 B.C. to 1521 A.D. Myth of Mictlan - a myth related to pre-Hispanic beliefs about death An Overview of Mexican History Timeline of Mexican History	Pre-Hispanic Times Day of the Dead is rooted in the beliefs held by native people of Mexico in pre-Hispanic times. The exact combination of beliefs that contributed to the origin of "Day of the Dead" are not entierely known and often debated. However, there were pracitices dating back to 500 and 1500 B.C.E. that seem to relate to present observances of "Day of the Dead". The offerings of food, utensils, and clay figurines are examples of some traditions related to ancient practices. These offerings were thought to aid the dead on their long journey to Mictlan, the place of rest for the traveling souls.	Links to images of Mictlantcuhtli, the ancient god of Mictlan: Mictlantcuhtli, Mexica, Post Classic Period - Stone vessel sculpture and Ceramic sculpture Information about the Mexica people Mictlantecuhtli, Totonaca, Classic period - Ceramic sculpture Information about the Totanaca Mictlantecuhtli, Mixteca, Post Classic Period - Ceramic sculpture Information about the Mixteca
The Spanish Conquest of Mexico Link to Historian John Pohl's work on MesoAmerica: Scroll down to The Meeting and click Two points of View for information on the Aztec view as told through their ancient books or codices Cortés - the spanish conqueror of Mexico Moctezuma	The Spanish Conquest Over 500 years ago (in the early 1500's), the Spanish Conquest brought European Catholic traditions to Mexico, resulting in a blending of pre-Hispanic and Hispanic beliefs. pp41tstf The Spanish explorer, Cortés, attempted to convert the Aztec ruler, Moctezuma and requested missionaries to be sent to help convert the native people to become Catholic. The Spanish missionaries needed to learn Náhuatl in order to communicate with the people.	Information on Codices - ancient books created on animal skins and bark
Colonial Mexico	Colonial Mexico For approximately 300 years(1522-1808), Mexico was a colony of Mexico. The Spaniards occupation of Mexico had a significant impact on the size of the native poplulation. Fighting, disease, and changes in life style greatly reduced the size of the native population. During this time, funerary catafalques or platforms for coffins were often built. These platforms were often tiered forms graduating in size from large to small, painted with skeletons, skulls and verses regarding death. It is thought that today's tiered altars or ofrendas were influenced by the catafalques constructed during colonial times. The Day of the Dead fiestas during colonial times were celebrated with food and drink and processions to the cemetary. However, the new Spanish upper class disliked the festivities practiced by the native inhabitants and made attempts to control the celebrations by prohibiting cemetary visits during the time of Day of the Dead. The denial of access to the cemetaries resulted in the native Indian's disatisfaction with the clergy and resulted in discontinued donations to the church. The church clerics complained, but the differences in the beliefs held by the new Spanish elite and the native people of Mexico were not shared. The power of the Spanish colonists who were likely to believe in a distinct separation between heaven and earth, prevailed over the native Mexican's Day of the Dead beliefs that heaven and earth meet.	Art in Colonial Mexico
Independence for Mexico	Independent Mexico The years 1810-1917 mark a time of independence and turmoil for the Mexican people. Even before this time events were published in newspapers or broadsheets. Political satire influenced by European cartoons and caricautures became popular. The broadsheets for the Day of the Dead were called calaveras or skulls. These publications had verses written from the viewpoint of the dead making fun of the living. Jose Guadelupe Posada is is well know for the engravings he created for the broadsheets. He followed the traditions Manuel Manilla and Vanegas Arroyo, post-revolutionary Mexican artists. Many other contributing artists kept their identities a secret in order to protect themselves during times of censorship.	Information on Jose Guadelupe Posada Jose Posada's engraving of dancing skeletons

Links to Mexican History, Culture and Maps

A Brief History of Day of the Dead

Links to Images

Pre-Hispanic Interactive Map of Mexico - this map shows the locations of precolumbian populations from 20,000 B.C. to 1521 A.D.

Myth of Mictlan - a myth related to pre-Hispanic beliefs about death

An Overview of Mexican History

Timeline of Mexican History

Pre-Hispanic Times

Day of the Dead is rooted in the beliefs held by native people of Mexico in pre-Hispanic times. The exact combination of beliefs that contributed to the origin of "Day of the Dead" are not entierely known and often debated. However, there were pracitices dating back to 500 and 1500 B.C.E. that seem to relate to present observances of "Day of the Dead". The offerings of food, utensils, and clay figurines are examples of some traditions related to ancient practices. These offerings were thought to aid the dead on their long journey to Mictlan, the place of rest for the traveling souls.

Links to images of Mictlantcuhtli, the ancient god of Mictlan:

Mictlantcuhtli, Mexica, Post Classic Period - Stone vessel sculpture and Ceramic sculpture

Information about the Mexica people

Mictlantecuhtli, Totonaca, Classic period - Ceramic sculpture

Information about the Totanaca

Mictlantecuhtli, Mixteca, Post Classic Period - Ceramic sculpture

Information about the Mixteca

The Spanish Conquest of Mexico

Link to Historian John Pohl's work on MesoAmerica: Scroll down to The Meeting and click Two points of View for information on the Aztec view as told through their ancient books or codices

Cortés - the spanish conqueror of Mexico

Moctezuma

The Spanish Conquest

Over 500 years ago (in the early 1500's), the Spanish Conquest brought European Catholic traditions to Mexico, resulting in a blending of pre-Hispanic and Hispanic beliefs. pp41tstf The Spanish explorer, Cortés, attempted to convert the Aztec ruler, Moctezuma and requested missionaries to be sent to help convert the native people to become Catholic. The Spanish missionaries needed to learn Náhuatl in order to communicate with the people.

Information on Codices - ancient books created on animal skins and bark

Colonial Mexico

For approximately 300 years(1522-1808), Mexico was a colony of Mexico. The Spaniards occupation of Mexico had a significant impact on the size of the native poplulation. Fighting, disease, and changes in life style greatly reduced the size of the native population.

During this time, funerary catafalques or platforms for coffins were often built. These platforms were often tiered forms graduating in size from large to small, painted with skeletons, skulls and verses regarding death. It is thought that today's tiered altars or ofrendas were influenced by the catafalques constructed during colonial times. The Day of the Dead fiestas during colonial times were celebrated with food and drink and processions to the cemetary. However, the new Spanish upper class disliked the festivities practiced by the native inhabitants and made attempts to control the celebrations by prohibiting cemetary visits during the time of Day of the Dead. The denial of access to the cemetaries resulted in the native Indian's disatisfaction with the clergy and resulted in discontinued donations to the church. The church clerics complained, but the differences in the beliefs held by the new Spanish elite and the native people of Mexico were not shared. The power of the Spanish colonists who were likely to believe in a distinct separation between heaven and earth, prevailed over the native Mexican's Day of the Dead beliefs that heaven and earth meet.

Art in Colonial Mexico

Independence for Mexico

Independent Mexico

The years 1810-1917 mark a time of independence and turmoil for the Mexican people. Even before this time events were published in newspapers or broadsheets. Political satire influenced by European cartoons and caricautures became popular.

The broadsheets for the Day of the Dead were called calaveras or skulls. These publications had verses written from the viewpoint of the dead making fun of the living. Jose Guadelupe Posada is is well know for the engravings he created for the broadsheets. He followed the traditions Manuel Manilla and Vanegas Arroyo, post-revolutionary Mexican artists. Many other contributing artists kept their identities a secret in order to protect themselves during times of censorship.

Information on Jose Guadelupe Posada

Jose Posada's engraving of dancing skeletons