The Day of the Dead altar is at once mysterious and visually legible, a cultural touchstone whose multi-layered symbology can be decoded by a knowledgeable observer.

The holiday’s indigenous, millennia-old origin has been transformed and molded by centuries of Catholic and regional influence: it’s not celebrated exactly the same in any two regions. But there is a commonality which ties everything together, especially when it comes time to build the altar.

In this article with over 100 photos that I’ve taken over the past 10 years, you’ll learn about 28 kinds of objects that can be found on the Day of the Dead altar in Mexico.

What is a Day of the Dead Altar?

Day of the Dead altars are made as a way of remembering and honoring deceased friends and family. The altars help guide the spirits back to the land of the living on the Noche de Muertos on the night of November 2.

Incense, flowers, candles, clothes, and food are left out to lead the dead to the altar and their waiting families, who spend the night in the graveyard singing, playing music, eating, drinking, and remembering.

Altars are also made the day before November 2 for El Día de los Angelitos (the Day of the Little Angels).

Related Posts About The Day of the Dead

Video: Watch this short video slideshow of 25 objects left on the Day of the Dead altar in Jalisco, Mexico.

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First, a Few Complete Day of the Dead Altars

A large streetside altar for friends and family on the Day of the Dead, with fresh fruit, beer and tequila, plates of cooked meat, marigolds and other offerings
A large streetside altar for friends and family on the Day of the Dead, with fresh fruit, beer and tequila, plates of cooked meat, marigolds and other offerings.
An altar for a woman in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico
An altar for a woman in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico.
An altar in Chapala, Jalisco.
An altar in Chapala, Jalisco.
An altar for Frida Kahlo.
An altar for Frida Kahlo.

Related: See more photos of Day of the Dead altars in Mexico

The Entrance

The Day of the Dead altar is usually built on multiple levels, with some extravagant, community-built versions reaching a story high. But the most common altars are divided into three sections: the ground-level entrance called la entrada, a mid-tier section with a table of offerings, and the highest level representing heaven, where photos of the dead are hung alongside images of favorite saints, the Virgin of Guadalupe and Jesus.

On November 2, the dead come back to visit the living, and the entrance of the altar (ofrenda or altar in Spanish) is built to welcome and guide them to their altars. Common elements are laid along the entrance, such as candles, skull decorations, seeds, a carpet of colorful sawdust, incense, and marigolds.

An altar for Lupe Tijerina of Los Cadetes de los Linares, a famous Mexican band formed in 1960.
This altar was built by Irma Esperanza Gomar Navarro for Lupe Tijerina, leader of Los Cadetes de los Linares, a famous Mexican band formed in 1960. He died in 2016 on stage while playing his accordion.
This altar was made for Miguel Miramontes, one of Jalisco’s best-known sculptor’s, who died in 2015. Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
This altar was made for Miguel Miramontes, one of Jalisco’s best-known sculptors, who died in 2015. Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Candles line the marigold-covered entrance of an altar in Chapala, Jalisco.

Candles

Once everything on the altar is in place and darkness is at hand, everyone begins lighting up the candles. As twilight fades away, and family and friends gather around, the flickering lights begin to fill the nooks and recesses of the displays with a warm glow, which helps guide the dead to their altar.

Chapala, Jalisco. Panteón municipal.
A mausoleum lit up by candles for the Day of the Little Angels in Chapala.
Candles burn on an ofrenda made for a competition during the Day of the Dead festival in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
Candles burn on an ofrenda made for a competition during the Day of the Dead festival in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
A woman lights candles at dusk on the Noche de Muertos in Chapala.
A woman lights candles at dusk on the Noche de Muertos in Chapala.
Candles light up an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, for Humphrey Bogart and Santo Toribio Romo, a saint who protects migrants crossing the U.S. border.
Candles light up an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, for Humphrey Bogart and Santo Toribio Romo, a saint who protects migrants crossing the U.S. border.
An elaborate altar in Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico, on the Day of the Dead.
An elaborate altar in Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico, on the Day of the Dead.

Photographs of the Departed

One of the most important items at the altar is a photo of the departed, placed on the uppermost level of the altar, usually among images of saints, Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
A woman stands beside a Día de los Muertos altar, her familial resemblance to the portraits quite notable. Chapala, Jalisco.
A woman stands beside a Día de los Muertos altar, her familial resemblance to the portraits quite notable. Chapala, Jalisco.
A woman's portrait is illuminated by candlelight on November 1, 2015, in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
A photo of the deceased on the Night of the Dead in the cemetery in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
Photos of a young boy, Danny, left on his grave in the Ajijic cemetery on the Día de los Angelitos (also known as Día de los Inocentes).
Photos of the deceased on an altar in Chapala, Mexico.
Photos of the deceased on an altar in Chapala, Mexico.
A woman's altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A woman's altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Photo of the deceased on an altar in a cemetery in Ajijic.
Photos of los difuntos on the Day of the Dead.

Skulls

Placed alongside photos and possessions of the dead, the graphic and macabre representation of the human skull, free of its skin and facial features, stripped by decay to its common bony element, confronts the observer with her own mortality. One night years from now, her spirit will return to this family spot to be honored and remembered, too.

The dark, hollow eyes of the skulls peer out from comforting glow of the altar, otherwise contrasting against the night’s overwhelmingly jovial atmosphere, which can reach the order of whimsy and humor, and at times might seem to border even on irreverence.

Emptied Corona bottles line the rear of an altar on Noche de Muertos 2015 in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A ceramic skull sits among candles and empty Corona bottles on la Noche de Muertos in Chapala, Jalisco.
Sugar skull on el Día de Muertos in Chapala, Mexico.
A sugar skull, created from formed sugar, on an altar in Chapala, Jalisco.
Clay skulls on an altar in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Clay skulls on an altar in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Sugar skulls on an ofrenda with corn, cigarettes, a plate of tacos, huarache sandals, a belt and a bowl of banana-wrapped tamales.
Sugar skulls on an ofrenda with corn, cigarettes, a plate of tacos, huarache sandals, a belt and a bowl of banana-wrapped tamales.
A skull made out of dyed sawdust on the ground level of an altar.
A skull made out of dyed sawdust on the ground level of an altar.
Sugar skulls line the edge of an altar in Chapala.
Sugar skulls line the edge of an altar in Chapala.

Marigolds

The brightly colored orange petals of the marigold are said to represent the sun. Along with its sweet, floral scents, which get carried along by the evening winds, the flowers lead the spirits to their shining altars.

Parts of the Day of the Dead altar are still relatively new additions to the centuries-old tradition. But aspects such as the marigold have found a vital place at the altar, going back to the holiday’s indigenous origins.

Their blooms are used to line graves and adorn altars, sometimes laid down to create a physical path for the dead to follow to their offerings.

Candles burn next to marigold flowers on the tomb of Rocio Márquez Gurrola on the Night of the Dead in Ajijic, Jalisco.
Candles burn next to marigold flowers on the tomb of Rocio Márquez Gurrola on the Night of the Dead in Ajijic, Jalisco.
Graves are carefully cleaned and redecorated each year. The afternoons of November 1 and 2 are spent watering and putting fresh plants are put into the ground, repainting and constructing the altar. In this photo a man arranges marigolds on a grave in the cemetery in Ajijic, Jalisco. You start to see marigolds for sale everywhere in the weeks leading up to the Day of the Dead. Their sweet scent is said to help guide the dead to their altar on the night of November 2.
A man carefully arranges marigolds on a tomb on the Day of the Dead in Ajijic, Mexico.
Paper marigolds of various colors provide a backdrop for a Day of the Dead altar in Chapala, Jalisco.
Paper marigolds of various colors provide a backdrop for a Day of the Dead altar in Chapala, Jalisco.
Marigold flowers hang at an altar on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Mexico.
Marigold flowers hang at an altar on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Mexico.
Marigolds on a tomb in Chapala.
Cempásuchil flowers form a cross on a grave in Chapala.
Cempásuchil flowers form a cross on a grave in Chapala.

Dyed Sawdust Carpets

Elaborate, hand-designed patterns of colorful sawdust will sometimes line the entryway of the altar, serving as a path for the dead. These colorful, patterned carpets of dyed wood shavings called tapetes de aserrín (sawdust carpets) can span the length of a block in some elaborate cases, and take a dedicated team of a dozen or more people the afternoon to create.

The tradition arrived in the New World with the Spanish conquistadors, and today is still upheld in Mexico and Central America, especially for the Day of the Dead celebrations in Central Mexico.

Learn more about how tapetes are constructed for the Day of the Dead.

People construct an altar with a tapete in the plaza of Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
People construct an altar with a tapete in the plaza of Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
Detail of a sawdust carpet in Chapala, Mexico.
Detail of a sawdust carpet in Chapala, Mexico.
Molds are sometimes used to create the intricate sawdust carpet designs.
Molds are sometimes used to create the intricate sawdust carpet designs.

Related: See more photos of sawdust carpets in Mexico on the Day of the Dead

Incense

Copal resin is burned to purify the souls of the spirits and to elevate the prayers of friends and family to God.
An incense burner made from traditional redware pottery sits on the ground level floor of an ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
An incense burner made from traditional redware pottery sits on the ground level floor of an ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Incense on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A bowl of Incense awaits lighting on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Incense burns in a clay burner in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Incense burns in a clay burner in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Incense burns on the floor of an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Incense burns on the lowest level of an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Sticks of copal incense sit in a bowl on the afternoon of November 2, 2017, in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Sticks of copal incense sit in a bowl on the afternoon of November 2, 2017, in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.

Salt

Salt acts to cleanse the spirits and purify their souls during the following year.

Catrina design made from sawdust and salt on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Catrina design made from sawdust and salt on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco.
Chayotes at an altar on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Chayotes ring a platter of salt that has been formed into a cross. Chayotes are a popular squash in central and southern Mexico that are cheap and abundant.
Salt forms the shape of a cross, outlined with ash and marigolds.
Salt forms the shape of a cross, outlined with ash and marigolds.
Salt, water, food and candles on an ofrenda on El Día de los Angelitos.
Salt, water, food and candles are offered on a child's altar on El Día de los Angelitos.

Catrinas

La Catrina has been an essential element of the Day of the Dead ever since printmaker José Guadalupe Posada made his etching La Calavera Catrina in 1910. His image of an elegantly dressed catrina is not only an iconic part of the Day of the Dead, but also recognized worldwide as an emblematic symbol of Mexico. If you like the catrinas, you might enjoy this series of photos of catrinas on the Day of the Dead.

The “Day” of the Dead really spans three days and nights, starting October 31. This altar had been decorated for Children’s Day, which takes place November 1. It’s said the children are eager to run back to their families, so they arrive the night before the adults do on November 2.

The entrance or entrada of an ofrenda on the Day of the Dead.
José Guadalupe Posada's original La Catrina etching replicated with seeds, sawdust and marigolds.
Day of the Dead altar for family and friends in Ajijic, Mexico.
An altar for family & friends on El Día de los Angelitos.

Papel Picado

These perforated designs are sometimes made from plastic, but the traditional ones are still hand-cut in tissue paper, making it a recognized Mexican folk art.

Hand-cut papel picado hangs above a grave in the Ajijic cemetery on the Day of the Dead.
Hand-cut papel picado hangs above a grave in the graveyard in Ajijic, Mexico, on the Day of the Dead.
Papel picado, interspersed with photocopies of family photos, hangs over a tomb in the graveyard in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Papel picado, interspersed with photocopies of family photos, hangs over a tomb in the graveyard in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Papel picado hangs over a grave on November 1, 2010, in the Ajijic cemetery.
Strands of papel picado seem to defy gravity and hover above graves in the descending sunlight of the early autumn evening.

Music

Musicians will wander the graveyard November 2 and families can hire them while everyone is gathered around the tomb celebrating. Sometimes a radio might play the favorite songs of the dead.

Norteño musicians play some songs for a family in mourning during the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Norteño musicians play some songs for a family in mourning during the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.

Pan de Muertos

This type of sweet bread is only sold in the weeks leading up to the Día de Muertos. It’s eaten by the living, as well as left as an offering on the altar for the returning dead. Pan de muertos is one of the most important elements of an ofrenda, with a long history extending to prehispanic times.

Aztecs, during their sacrifice rituals, would cut the still-beating heart from the chests of the sacrificed. The Spanish, of course, aimed to put a stop to this non-Christian behavior when they arrived to conquer Mexico at the beginning of the 16th century. They forced the substitution of bread for the heart, shaped in the form of a corazón and painted in a glaze of red sugar.

This is the origin of today’s pan de muertos, which has regional variants across Mexico. The Spanish, of course, aimed to put a stop to this non-Christian behavior when they arrived to conquer Mexico at the beginning of the 16th century. They forced the substitution of bread for the heart, shaped in the form of a corazón and painted in a glaze of red sugar. This is the origin of today’s pan de muertos, which has regional variants across Mexico.

José Luis Curiel Monteagudo, in his book Azucarados Afanes, Dulces y Panes, says, “To eat pan de muertos is for the Mexican a true pleasure, considering the cannibalism of bread and sugar. The phenomena is treated with respect and irony. Defying death, they make fun of her by eating it.”

Pan de muertos, bread of the dead, is offered on an altar along with grains, fruits, beverages, marigolds, fruits and a cigarette.
Pan de muertos, bread of the dead, is offered on an altar along with grains, fruits, beverages, marigolds, fruits and a cigarette.
Pan de muertos on an ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Pan de muertos on an ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Pan de Muertos on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Pan de muertos with an image of anima sola in the background.

Seeds and Grains

Representing the element of earth, seeds or grains are left out in bowls or combined with the dyed sawdust to create designs on the floor of the altar’s entrance.

An altar with seeds, bread, garlic, chiles and other offerings in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
An altar with seeds, bread, garlic, chiles and other offerings in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Seeds and grains left on an ofrenda on a Day of the Dead altar in Jalisco, Mexico.
Lentils, corn for pozole, and popping corn are among the seeds and grains left at a Day of the Dead altar in Mexico.
Sunflower seeds, purple and white corn, marigold petals, and sawdust form an all-natural design at an altar on November 2, 2017, in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Sunflower seeds, purple and white corn, marigold petals, and sawdust form an all-natural design at an altar.
Seeds and grains on a Day of the Dead altar.
Seeds and colored sawdust were used to create this image of Mexican accordionist Lupe Tijerina.
Beans, corn husks and a marigold flower create a design at an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Beans, corn husks and a marigold flower create a design at an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Corn kernels form the circle of the sun in this sawdust carpet on the floor of an altar.
Corn kernels form the circle of the sun in this sawdust carpet on the floor of an altar.

White Cross

A white cross today comes from Christianity but originates as a way to signify the four cardinal directions of north, south, east and west. The altar has evolved through the centuries, as the Catholic overseers of post-conquest Mexico incorporated indigenous ideas into its Allhallowtide triduum. Sometimes other colors, such as black and grey, are added.

Charcoal, ash, and salt were used to make these crosses at the entrance of a Day of the Dead ofrenda in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Charcoal, ash, and salt were used to make these crosses at the entrance of a Day of the Dead ofrenda in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A grey cross made from ash at an altar on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A grey cross made from ash at an altar on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A cross made from salt in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A cross made from salt in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.

Personal Belongings

Footballs, playing cards, cigarettes, toys, books or anything that was significant to the dead might be placed on the altar, including professional items from the deceased’s life.

A deck of cards and a pack of cigarettes await the dead.
A deck of cards and a pack of cigarettes await the dead.
Someone's electric guitar.
Someone's electric guitar.
A man's tools left on his ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A man's tools left on his ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A child's toy sits on a grave for a child on el Día de los Angelitos which is part of the Days of the Dead and takes place on November 1.
A child's toy sits on a grave for a child on el Día de los Angelitos which is part of the Days of the Dead and takes place on November 1.
A child's stuffed animal and other toys on his grave on the Día de los Angelitos, which takes place on November 1 as part of the Days of the Dead.
A child's stuffed animal and other toys on his grave on the Día de los Angelitos, which takes place on November 1 as part of the Days of the Dead.
A chair & sombrero await a man in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A chair & sombrero await a man in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.

Shoes

Footballs, playing cards, cigarettes, toys, books or anything that was significant to the dead might be placed on the altar, including professional items from the deceased’s life, such as these field tools.

Shoes await the return of the deceased on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A pair of heels awaits the return of the deceased on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Mexico.
A girl's sandals with other personal effects.
A girl's sandals with other personal effects.
Shoes sit on an altar below an offering of a plate of fried fish at an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Shoes sit on an altar below an offering of a plate of fried fish at an altar in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.

Clothes

A favorite set of clothes might be left out for the deceased visitors, so they have something familiar to don upon their return.

The Day of the Dead altar is built to welcome the dead back for their overnight journey to the living. Families leave offerings such as favorite foods or alcohol, as well as practical comforts such as soap and water, and clothes. For this altar, the family has dressed a mannequin with the deceased clothes and sombrero.
Clothes of one of the deceased were put onto a mannequin in this altar in Chapala, Jalisco. “We’ll always remember them,” says the sign.
A man's suit.
A man's suit.
A football jersey with the Virgin Mary on an altar in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A football jersey with the Virgin Mary on an altar in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.

Soap and Water

The soap, a basin of water and the towel help the spirits of the dead bathe and keep clean while they are back on earth. Pitchers of water are also left so the spirits can quench their thirst after a presumably long journey back home from the afterlife.

Soap and a basin of water on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Soap, a basin of water, a towel and a mirror await the dead for their brief visit back from the afterlife on el Día de Muertos. Family and friends will leave these and other objects on an altar so that the dead will be able to freshen up and feel comfortable during their stay.
A pitcher of water and an empty drinking glass are among the items left on this altar in Chapala.
A pitcher of water and an empty drinking glass are among the items left on this altar in Chapala.
A bowl of water along with a towel and a bar of soap.

Mirrors

An altar might have a mirror to help the dead check their appearance after washing and freshening up.

A girl sits as a catrina next to a mirror, a traditional component of the Day of the Dead altar so the spirits can check their appearance upon arrival.
A girl dressed as a catrina on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A mirror on an ofrenda in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
A mirror on an ofrenda in Chapala.
A woman dressed as a catrina is reflected in a mirror on a Day of the Dead altar.
A woman dressed as a catrina is reflected in a mirror on a Day of the Dead altar.

Petates

These woven mats made from tule reeds were once commonly used as a mat for sleeping. On the Day of the Dead, a petate is sometimes put out so the spirits have a place to sleep.

Ofrenda in Chapala, Jalisco, for the the 43 presumably murdered students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers' College who went missing in 2014.
Skulls sit on top of a petate sleeping mat (center, bottom) at this altar for the 43 missing students from the Ayotzinapa Rural Teachers’ College.
A petate (bottom, center) is used as a matt for a vase of flowers.

Plates of Food

Leaving out a plate of favorite food is one of the many personal ways of remembering the dead.

Bowl of soup left as an offering on an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
Marigolds and candles line a bowl of soup which has been placed at a Day of the Dead altar on the noche de muertos, November 2, in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
An offering of a plate of tostadas on an altar for one of the niños héroes (boy heroes) of the Mexican-American War.
An offering of a plate of tostadas on an altar for one of the Niños Héroes (Boy Heroes) of the Mexican-American War.
A bowl of pozole left on an altar for the deceased on the Day of the Dead in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
A bowl of pozole finds a home among some spirits of the earthly dimension on a Day of the Dead altar in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.

Alcohol

The dead’s favorite drink is laid out: a bottle of tequila or beer, or perhaps a cup of pulque. Non-alcoholic drinks are also offered such as atole, which is a hot drink made from masa and water.

Detail of an altar for a woman in Ixtlahuacan de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico
Bottles of Tequila Cazadores and El Jimador tequilas were left on this altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, along with candied fruits and vegetables, plates of food, water, bread, sugar skulls and many other common Day of the Dead altar elements.
Azul Tequila on an ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico.
Azul Tequila on an ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico.
Unlabeled bottles of tequila alongside tortillas and cigarettes.
Unlabeled bottles of tequila alongside tortillas and cigarettes.
Tequila and a pack of cigarettes.
Corona, J&B Scotch Whisky and some mixers are some of the items left on this ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
Corona, J&B Scotch Whisky and some mixers are some of the items left on this ofrenda in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
San Matías-brand tequila.
San Matías-brand tequila.
Occasionally, someone prefers Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider.
On occasion, someone prefers Martinelli's Sparkling Apple Cider.

Fruits and Vegetables

Also left out are fruits and vegetables, along with plates of rice, beans, mole (a type of sauce) or other traditional foods.

A basket of fruit.
A basket of fruit.
A bowl of fruit on an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
A bowl of fruit on an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
A basket of fruit and sugarcane is among other items left at this altar which include a mirror, a bowl of water and a towel, and a portrait of the deceased.
A basket of fruit and sugarcane is among other items left at this altar which include a mirror, a bowl of water and a towel, and a portrait of the deceased.
Candied fruit, rice, dried beans, whole peanuts, tamales, incense and candles.
Candied fruit, rice, dried beans, whole peanuts, tamales, incense and candles.
Fruits and vegetables overwhelm an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
Fruits and vegetables overwhelm an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A plate of fruit on an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
A plate of fruit on an altar in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos.
A basket of avocados.
A basket of avocados.

Sugarcane

Long stalks of sugarcane can be tied together into an arch over the altar or put out as offerings.

Sugarcane on an ofrenda in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Sugarcane on an ofrenda in Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico.
Sugarcane on the Day of the Dead
Stalks of cut sugarcane on an ofrenda.

Coronas

Coronas de flores, or crowns of flowers, are often placed on graves after burial, with new coronas being purchased each Day of the Dead to replace the old ones.

Kids read on an October afternoon in a doorway next to coronas for sale in Ajijic, Jalisco. They're bought to replace last year's coronas, which are placed at graves on November 1 and 2.
Kids read on an October afternoon in a doorway next to coronas for sale in Ajijic, Jalisco.
A woman selling cotton candy in the Chapala, Jalisco, graveyard walks by a tomb decorated with coronas on the Day of the Dead
Four coronas are on a tomb as a woman selling cotton candy passes by on the Day of the Dead in Chapala, Jalisco.
A corona on a grave in Chapala, Jalisco.
A corona on a grave in Chapala, Jalisco.

Metates and Molcajetes

The metate, made from volcanic rock, has been used for centuries to grind corn into masa for tortillas, sopes, huaraches, and dozens of other variations. Today, however, machines are mostly used and masa can be bought at any tortilla shop.

A molcajete (mortar) and tejolote (pestle) are still commonly found in home and commercial kitchens in Mexico. They’re used to grind spices, make salsas and guacamole, and are even heated up and used as serving bowls for dishes called molcajetes.

A metate sits next to a cross, a bowl of water with soap and cloth, and a mirror in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A metate sits next to a cross, a bowl of water with soap and cloth, and a mirror in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A molcajete and tejolote, which is a Mexican mortar and pestle.
A molcajete and tejolote, which is a Mexican mortar and pestle.
A metate, used for making masa for tortillas. A molcajete sites on the table above.
A metate, bottom, used for making masa for tortillas. A molcajete sits on the table above.
A metate in Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos, Jalisco.
A metate with a bowl of corn in a redware pottery bowl.

La Lotería Mexicana

This popular children’s game is played during parties and is a part of everyone’s childhood, finding its way into jokes and, in 2018, into Ajijic’s New Year’s parade. It’s not commonly left on a Day of the Dead altar, but can be found on occasion.

A set of lotería mexicana cards sits on the floor of an altar for the Day of the Dead in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico.
A set of lotería mexicana cards sits on the floor of an altar for the Day of the Dead in Ixtlahucán de los Membrillos, Jalisco, Mexico.

Traditional Dolls

This popular children’s game is played during parties and is a part of everyone’s childhood, finding its way into jokes and, in 2018, into Ajijic’s New Year’s parade. It’s not commonly left on a Day of the Dead altar, but can be found on occasion.

A Mexican rag doll, called a muñeca de trapo.
A Mexican rag doll, called a muñeca de trapo.
These rag dolls with colorful ribbon braids likely originated only in the last 50 years, but today are found in folk art stores and airport giftshops all over.
These rag dolls with colorful ribbon braids likely originated only in the last 50 years, but today are found in folk art stores and airport giftshops all over.
A muñeca de cartón on a Volkswagen Beetle that has been converted into a Day of the Dead altar in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.
A muñeca de cartón on a Volkswagen Beetle that has been converted into a Day of the Dead altar in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico.

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