Calaca

thumb|A "Catrina" sculpture thumb|A calaca of La Calavera Catrina|alt=A calaca of La Calavera Catrina A calaca (, a colloquial Mexican Spanish name for skeleton) is a figure of a skull or skeleton (usually human) commonly used for decoration during the Mexican Day of the Dead festival, although they are made all year round.

==Description== Tracing their origins from Mayan imagery, Calacas are frequently shown with marigold flowers and foliage. As with other aspects of the Day of the Dead festival, Calacas are generally depicted as joyous rather than mournful figures. They are often shown wearing festive clothing, dancing, and playing musical instruments to indicate a happy afterlife. This draws on the Mexican belief that no dead soul likes to be thought of sadly, and that death should be a joyous occasion. This goes back to Aztec beliefs, one of the few Calaca to remain after the Spanish conquest.