It may sound like a solemn affair, but the Day of the Dead – which blends indigenous and Catholic ritual – is a convivial celebration that allows Mexicans to reconnect with deceased loved ones.

Archaeologists found some of the richest and most unusual Aztec offerings ever in excavations under a mammoth slab depicting an earth goddess. 17 June 2010 • 1:03am ...

In any case, by the time the Spanish conquistadors invaded in 1519, the Aztecs recognized a wide pantheon of gods, which included a goddess of death and the underworld named Mictecacihuatl.

Mictecacihuatl, goddess of death Day of the Dead can be traced back to the native peoples of central and southern Mexico, the regions where I conduct my archaeological research. When the Spanish ...

According to colonial period records, the Aztec empire was formed in A.D. 1427, only about a century before the arrival of Spanish .