As I often say in the shop, anything with a skull sells. We have skull pillows, scarves, necklaces, you name it, and they all fly out the door. As we get ready to enter into October and ultimately El Dia de los Muertos, which is a big thing out here in New Mexico, we are going to feature some cool skull items from the shop.

Carved Stone Skulls - 6 x 4 x 4 H inches - $115 In Store

Today we are starting off with these vintage carved stone skulls from South America. Similar carved skulls have been found in many ancient cultures including Tibet, Mongolia, and Meso-America. Little is known about these ancient peoples and their interaction with the skulls. Why did they create them? What were they used for? What significance did they hold for these people spiritually and or culturally?

Human skulls and skull imagery were prominent in Aztec art in Mexico when the Spanish first arrived. Stone skulls were also carved by the Mixtec and the Mayans, and a human skull covered with turquoise and lignite mosaic from ancient Mexico is displayed at The British Museum.

They were carved in relief in basalt or limestone as architectural elements, occasionally were covered with stucco, and were originally probably all painted. They were usually attached to walls or altars, or depicted in bas reliefs of deities as ornaments worn on belts.

Our carved skulls come from this same tradition and were probably made in Brazil during the last few decades of the 20th Century. Stop by the shop to see them today or give us a call at 1-866-804-1909 to learn more about them.

Posted By: AJ (aj@pfeiferstudio.com)

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The skeleton is celebrated in Mexican art, in a way that is shocking to many Americans. Death is feared in Mexico as it is anywhere, but in Mexico that fear is not concealed in whispers. Instead death is contemplated with impatience, irony and even humor.

The Mexican artist uses the skull as a living symbol and seeks to control death by catching its image; thus making it into a lasting visible life. It has a long tradition in Mexico, its use originated long before the arrival of the Spanish with the Aztecs, who carved skulls in monoliths of lava, created skull masks from jade, molded them on pots and wove them into textiles.


Ceramic Skull With Gold Tooth - $89.00 + Free Delivery

Our ceramic skull pays homage to this tradition. Each is individually handmade by an artist in Colorado, USA. They are slip cast from ceramic stoneware before being fired three times. The first firing drives out moisture, the second is a high firing after each tooth is glazed and the final firing finishes the process after a 22K gold luster is added to one tooth for that extra special punch.

Posted By: AJ (aj@pfeiferstudio.com)

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