Rubber skeleton with inflatable limbs, from Mexican Day of the Dead festival

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This toy is one of a huge range of items made for the Mexican Day of the Dead festival (31 October - 2 November). Skeleton imagery is often used to remind people that we will all die.

This rubber skeleton has a rigid body and inflatable bent limbs, operated by squeezing a valve at the end of a tube connected to the body.

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: 000-190-004-335-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  K.1999.1425
• Date: 1999
  
• Material: Rubber
  Skeleton / toy
  
• Dimensions: 183 mm L x 70 mm W x 50 mm deep (limbs extended)
  
• What: Skeleton / toy
  
• Subject:
• Who:
• Where: Central America, Mexico
  Mexico, Mexico City (Sonora Market)
  
• Event: Mexican Day of the Dead festival
  
• Description: Rubber toy skeleton with rigid body and inflatable bent limbs, operated by squeezing a valve at the end of a tube connected to the body, made for the Mexico Day of the Dead festival, 1999
  
• References:
  • Carmichael, E. and Sayer, C. The Skeleton at the Feast, Texas, 1997 
  • Carmichael, E. and Sayer, C., The Skeleton at the feast. Texas: 1997 
• Translations:
• Related Records: