Origins are not clear, but most accepted theory says that they come from a Tzompantli a collection of enemy's skulls disposed in a wall at the entrance of major cities in the Central Mexico cultures before the Conquest. Along with the Mexica's good of death and other world Miclantecuhtl and it's figure that were disposed in an altar in memory of dead family members and friends.
During the period called Virreinato, Catholic church mission in the New World was to eliminate ancient cultures and symbols along with religious buildings and tradition, and a way people get to conserve this specific tradition was to make them as candies children may eat at the end of the Dia de los Muertos celebration.
Sugar skulls are made in central and southern Mexico, as part of the Day of the Dead (November 1 and 2) celebration.
"The Day of the Dead"
The tradition of creating sugar skulls for Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) dates back to indigenous Aztec traditions in Mexico. The Spanish introduced the art of sugar skull making to Mexico in the 17th century. So it's difficult to pinpoint the exact date of the first sugar skull made.
Sugar skulls are candy made for the Day of the Dead. Candy is supposed to be sweet.
The name of the material is 'sugar glass', but there are also skulls made of chocolate.
Mexican Day of the Dead (November 1 and 2) qualifies as the holiday when people buy and eat chocolate coffins and sugar skulls.
Sugar skulls are sugar shaped as skulls and decorated, however sugar skulls are NOT made for eating and just for decorations. Sugar Skulls are used in Dia de los Muertos or (for you green gos out there) Day of the Dead! Hope this helped!
Sugar skulls are a handcraft such as a woven sweater, which prevents any official statistics. However, there are many commercial candy makers that manufacture this skulls on varying degrees of sophistication, from humble candy workers that make them on their very own homes and sell them on the street, to full corporations such as Hershey's that manufacture them specifically for the Mexican market.
Cempazuchil flowers (Mexican marigold), sugar and chocolate skulls and papel picado (perforated paper).
Day of the dead skulls or sugar skulls
The sugar skulls are a candy that is laid on graves of deceased loved ones to honot them on Day of the Dead. The deceased's favorite foods and sometimes items are placed on the grave as well. Sugar skulls are not just for dead people, though; families eat the same food as their loved ones on Day of the Dead.
Sugar Skulls