Santisima Muerte Skulls

Muerte Calaveras

Authentic Mexican Brujo spiritual art

One of Santa Muerte’s original forms, the human skull or calavera is the most antiquated and recognized image of our cherished mother, a symbol with deep Mesoamerican roots. It is one of the basic symbols on the ancient calendar of days the skull is known as Miquitzli, nahuatl for death. One only has to look at the ancient Mexica (Aztec) artifact at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City and see the Tzompantli a stone carved skull rack altar to appreciate the fundamental symbolism of death. There also exists a Mayan Tzompantli in the Yucatan; both people venerated the Gods of Death. Both cultures have strong ancestral ritual practices and reverence for the dead. Originally the Tzompantli skull rack was made with actual human heads from fallen enemy warriors taken in battle.

Although a gory scene to modern eyes, the Tzompantli with its skulls carried a spiritual significance one which was believed to be a blessing of prosperity and continued life for the ancient people of Mexico.  The veneration of death was not exclusive to the Mexica and the Maya, there were other people that actively venerated death such as the Mixtec and Zapotecs, and reverence for death was and is strong throughout Pre-Hispanic Mexico and contemporary Mexico.  Artifacts made from Human skulls have been found in Mexico that were used by the Nahua people to represent some of the old Gods like the skull of Tezcatlipoca  and others like Tlaloc divinity was and is vested in the human skull.

 In post conquest Mexico the Spanish inquisition made a powerful effort to stamp out all native spirituality as evidenced by Alarcon’s book, which is a collection of these ancient beliefs he documented for the sake of the “Holy Inquisition”. Ultimately native practices would go underground or remain hidden in plain site through syncretism.

This is true of the reverence for our sacred mother Santa Muerte. There are many references that support this historical fact and one of these facts lies in the continuation of the annual festival of the dead.  What we now know as (Dia de los Muertos) which had and has as a central image the skull or calavera. As we look at all that has transpired almost 500 years ago when Mexico was transformed as a culture, Muerte’s ancient symbolism is still with us. Although Muerte’s contemporary image is a blend of memento mori art from Spain and the Calavera drawings of Jose Guadalupe Posada, her skull image is a pure form well recognized since the pre-Hispanic era of Mexico.

One of my trademarks for many years as a practicing Brujo has been to wear a human skull pendant representative of the sacred lady. As a practicing Brujo over the many years in the Greater Los Angeles area I had the opportunity to meet older generation Brujas and Brujos that themselves were devotees of Santa Muerte.  Often the very fact that I wore my skull pendant in plain view started many a conversation with these elders.  I distinctly remember once when I was at one of the oldest occult warehouses in Los Angeles purchasing some candles how an elder lady was behind the counter who told me in Spanish tienes a mi amiga en tu cuello(your wearing my friend on your neck) , at the moment I was so distracted by what I was doing that I didn’t remember I was wearing the pendant. And then I said “O! Mi muerte!” Yes! Then she said to me “she’s my friend” I acknowledged the comment and she complimented me by saying esta muy bonita “she’s beautiful” I said thank you and expressed my affection for Muerte.  I told the elder that she (muerte) is like my grandma and has been in our family from the time of my grandmothers, she told me I was fortunate to be so blessed.

I met so many people because I carried this basic symbol of the Santisima Muerte that often times were three generations older than me.  All older generation Brujas and Brujos recognize the calavera as Santisima Muerte’s primary symbol, it is a symbol that predates even her statues.

 In honor of this ancient symbolism and with the blessing of my ancestors I have created these beautiful Santa Muerte Calaveras cast in concrete. At every step of the casting process everything has been prepared even the mix of the concrete has special elements placed into it.  The skulls are cargados loaded with spiritual elements at their base in the same style that the Santa Muerte statues are loaded.  All of the Muerte Skulls have in their base her symbolic nahual or nagual the tecolote owl, which is Santisima Muerte’s constant companion; in addition to various legumes and herbs of importance to Mesoamerican Witchcraft. In addition there are syncretic elements of Mexican Brujeria such as the colors of the Muerte black magia negra, white magia blanca, red magia roja. Additional symbols are added to the calavera based on her corresponding magical path i.e. black, white or red.  

These Calaveras carry with them ancient Mesoamerican symbolism and correspond to Mexican Brujeria in its syncretic form, the best of the old and the best of the contemporary practices. My tribute to the ancient veneration for the sacred lady is embodied in these sacred skulls.

As it is my practice I will bless the Muerte Calavera in your name on my Santa Muerte altar. The process of making these Muerte Calaveras takes me about two weeks of work due to the casting, drying, carving, painting and drying process in addition to loading the calavera.

This is an authentic handcrafted creation made by a practicing Brujo and a third generation devotee of Santisima Muerte. Please allow for color and slight shape variations to the Calaveras as they are hand made they might differ slightly and their shades might vary on the basis of the paints I use.

The skulls themselves are roughly the size of a large apple and when possible will try and get size approximations. They are a medium sized skull and I can not make these any larger due to weight factors. 

Each Sta. Muerte Calavera is available for a donation of $65.00 plus $18.00 s/h will be shipped priority mail. If you order more than one with a limit of three Calaveras they can be shipped for the same shipping amount within the USA. Overseas orders shipping varies based on weight and destination. They can be paid for through paypal, please read my paypal info on my order info page. Overseas foreign orders the shipping will be a flat rate which depends on which country you are in.