Offerings to the Dead: Meaning, Ritual and Memory

What Are Offerings to the Dead?

Offerings create an ongoing relationship between the living and the dead, allowing presence to be maintained through ritual and memory.

Working with the Royal Society of Sculptors, we produced a cultural programme exploring the traditions of Mexico’s Day of the Dead. The initiative featured a collective offering installation dedicated to sculptors Cecil and Dora Thomas.

In traditions such as Mexico’s Day of the Dead, offerings (ofrendas) are created with food, objects, photos, and personal items to welcome and honour the spirits of those who have passed. Offerings create an ongoing relationship between the living and the dead, allowing presence to be maintained through ritual and memory.

The ofrenda (offering or altar) of the dead is a symbolic construction resulting from the syncretism of pre-Hispanic ideologies and European Abrahamic religious beliefs. The traditions associated with the Day of the Dead continue to evolve, and the purpose behind the celebration remains constant: ensuring that the beloved's souls will never be forgotten and, therefore, never die. It is believed that a person can experience three deaths. The first death is the expiration of the body. The second death occurs when the body is laid to rest. The third and final death happens only when we are forgotten.

Elements of the Offering

Offerings often involve selecting meaningful objects and arranging them in a dedicated space. Through this process, memory becomes material, and interaction becomes a means of sustaining connection. The offering must be ready by October 31st to welcome the departed loved ones at dawn on November 1st and 2nd. The first Day commemorates children, and the second is dedicated to adults.

This ofrenda was dedicated to the sculptor Cecil Thomas, who lived in this house with his wife, Dora, and son, Anthony, before it was handed over to the Royal Society of Sculptors.

Photographs of loved ones who have passed are honoured in the middle of the altar. Their favourite food and drink are placed nearby to delight the dead, who visit the offering. A mat is often included to help the dead rest after a long journey. Alcoholic beverages are common for adults, reminding them of their joyful moments. Meanwhile, traditional sweets are offered to children.

The three levels of the offering represent the heavens, the earthly plane, and the underworld, symbolising the intersection of the material and immaterial, or the earthly and spiritual, realms. Tradition holds that through the orange colour of the Cempasúchil (marigold) flowers, the souls of the departed find their way back to the world of the living. In ancient times, it was believed that the scent of this flower would attract the dead, and it was used to guide the souls to the altars in the world of the living.

The three levels of the offering represent the heavens, the earthly plane, and the underworld.

 A mat is often included to help the dead rest after a long journey.

The offerings typically allude to the four elements of nature. After their long journey, a glass of water is usually placed to quench the soul's thirst. Fire is represented by the candles' flames, illuminating the path for the dead to find their way back home. The Papel Picado (paper-cut banners), which move with the slightest breeze, represent the elements of air and wind. Lastly, the earth is represented by various seeds, roots, spices, and other natural bounties. Burnt copal (dry tree resin) is an element of prayer and praise to the gods and is used to cleanse the space of any evil spirits. Salt is the element of spiritual purification, cleansing the dead during their journey to and from the afterlife. The side arches are the gateway to the world of the dead.

Dry tree resin is used to cleanse the space of any evil spirits.

The colour and fragrance of marigolds are believed to help guide spirits back to the world of the living.

Tapete (carpet or floor dressing) is a floor image made with seeds, flowers, and sawdust to create patterns or representations.

Calaveras translates to "skull" in Spanish and refers to the cultural and artistic representation of skulls or skeletons. The iconic Day of the Dead calaveras honour the departed souls, symbolise death, and celebrate life with humour and creative expression. In the middle of the altar is the image of La Catrina, an iconic Mexican figure depicted as an elegant skeleton inspired by the aristocratic European fashions of the early 20th century. Created by Mexican artist José Guadalupe Posada, La Catrina is a satirical illustration that mocks Mexicans who rejected their heritage in favour of adopting European fashions and customs, and reminds people that they would all end up dead.

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Investigation supported by the Royal Society of Sculptors as part of the 2024 Day of the Dead Cultural Programme.

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Tiz Creel of Living Things Studio ©2025

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