Thejewelry in the shape of a skull have a long history. People have used the skulls to make jewelry and have worn them since the 15th century. There are different types of skull jewelry, today we are going to focus on the origin and meaning of sugar skulls.
When it comes tosugar skulls, the first thing that comes to mind is inevitably the Mexican Day of the Dead.
Day of the Dead, orDia de los Muertos, is an often misunderstood holiday that is celebrated in Mexico. Although, technically speaking, the actual Day of the Dead is November 2, the tradition has evolved to include October 31 and November 1 as well.
As early as 1000 years before the arrival of Europeans in Mexico, symbols of death such as theskulls appeared in Mexican art. The vivid image of the skeleton has been embedded in the hearts of all tribesmen who are deeply influenced by Mexican culture. Mexicans readily accept the various symbols of death and dying, including the "Calavera (skull in Spanish)". According to legend, the gods use the bones of the dead to create new life. For Mexicans, the skull also signifies the origin of life.
In Mexican popular culture, this beautiful bone is called Katarina. She was a woman who, during her lifetime, lived in the upper class. Katarina is the most popular Day of the Dead figure. This is a day of the dead face tattoo. On this day, many girls are going to do makeupsugar skull (also known as Catrina makeup). In other words, they make their face look like a skull that day. It may sound weird, but the colorful petals and skillful designs make them more appealing. These makeups are found in the streets, during parades and improvised dances, another form of homage to the goddess of death.
November 1 is traditionally called Dia de los Angelitos (Day of the Little Angels) in Mexico and is the day to honor babies and children who have passed away. November 2 is the real Dia de los Muertos, where families honor the adults they have lost. It is believed that on these days the souls of the deceased return to earth to be with their families and loved ones. The modern grand procession, which evolved from the ancient celebration, has become one of essential events for the local population.
One of the main activities of theday of the Dead is the creation and decoration of the altar. The altar is furnished with classical elements, each of which has a special meaning. The sugar or chocolate skulls, which make up the Calavera, represent deceased family members; the top of the "sacrificial bread" is made in the shape of two crossed bones and sprinkled with sugar to show the generosity of the sacrificer.
Not only thesugar skulls appear on the altar, but people also like to dress up assugar skulls colorful and wear rings and pendants with sugar skull elements to express their love of the party.
The reason why sugar skulls have become the most important element of the Day of the Dead is mainly due to the understanding and tradition of life and death of the Mexican people, where skulls do not only mean death , but also the origin of life, and where they approach death with optimism and celebrity to mourn the death of their loved ones.
When you're in Mexico on Day of the Dead, you have to dance, drink a second cup of tequila or Dos Equis beer, mash it up, and eat a sweet sugar skull. After that, you will indulge in the inevitable things in life, see the endless joy of the future, and thank the passage of time. As written in some books, Mexicans will say that nothing is better than a rainbow-colored sugar skull in their hands. "
As you can see, the sugar skulls are all colored. What do the colors on sugar skulls mean Do different sizes of sugar skulls represent different things ?
Each different color has its own meaning, and this simple boundary hill will hopefully give you a little insight.
The red color symbolizes the blood in our body; Christians may think that the color red symbolizes the blood of Jesus.
The orange color symbolizes the sun.
Yellow, commonly used in marigolds during ceremonies, symbolizes death.
Purple symbolizes sadness and pain, and in other cultures, wealth and royalty.
Pink represents hope, purity and celebration.
White is also a symbol of purity and hope.
The black color symbolizes the land of the dead.
Likewise, different sugar skulls tell their own stories based on their shape. A small sugar skull may suggest this is a memorial for a dead child. A larger sugar skull can symbolize an adult or an elderly person. This is an important element in understanding the history of the skull.
Family members can also decorate the skull, with a big smile or crazy hair. All this is supposed to represent the joy of life and death.
Also, many people have a habit of writing the name of the deceased on the front of the sugar skull used for the tribute, which can make the deceased feel that the loved one always remembers them. It is a special way of paying homage.
If you're familiar with sugar skulls, one thing is clear: they don't make people sad. On the contrary, these colorful sugar skulls show us that death isn't that scary, it just gives us another way to live. This is why many people choose sugar skull tattoos and jewelry as a reminder to face life, fear and death in a positive way.
Jewelry designed according to the image of the sugar skull not only expresses its deep meaning, but also makes it more everyday. Rings and pendants can match your daily outfits, and the sugar skull element is more colorful and can add some highlights to your ensemble. If you like sugar skull element and interested in sugar skull jewelry,