Calaca

For the municipality in the Philippines, see Calaca, Batangas

A calaca (a colloquial Spanish name for skeleton) is a figure of a skull or skeleton (usually human) used for decoration during the Mexican Day of the Dead festival. Tracing their origins from Aztec imagery, calacas are frequently shown with marigold leaves 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.

Calacas used in the festival include carved skull masks worn by revellers, small figures made carved wood or fired clay, and sweet treats in the form of skulls or skeletons.

Most of the characters in the computer game Grim Fandango (which takes place on the Day of the Dead) are calacas.

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