Skeleton puppet, from Mexican Day of the Dead festival

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This puppet is one of a range of items made for the Mexican Day of the Dead festival (31 October - 2 November). It is a children's toy. Skeleton imagery is used to remind people that we will all die, and that we should celebrate life.

This guitar-playing skeleton puppet is made of thin card, mounted on a dowelling rod. Both legs and one arm are jointed, and a thread can be pulled to move the legs and make the arm appear to play the guitar. The skeleton has a green feather on its head.

The Mexican Day of the Dead festival combines the Christian feasts of All Souls' Day (31 October) and All Saints' Day (Todos Santos, Hallowmas, 1 November) with pre-Christian beliefs, in celebrating the return of the dead with feasts and offerings.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-190-004-338-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  K.1999.1429
• Date: 1999
  
• Material: Paper; dowelling; thread; moveable
  Puppet
  
• Dimensions:
• What: Puppet
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Central America, Mexico
  Mexico, Mexico City (Sonora Market)
  
• Event: Mexican Day of the Dead festival
  
• Description: Paper puppet of guitar-playing skeleton, on dowelling stick, with hinged limbs moveable by pulling a thread, made for the Mexico Day of the Dead festival, 1999
  
• References:
  • Carmichael, E. and Sayer, C., The Skeleton at the feast. Texas: 1997 
• Translations:
• Related Records: