In the Day of the Dead celebrations which take place between the late months of October
and November in Mexico people who live honor and remember their loved ones deceased,
but they do so with joy and not with sorrow. The belief is that during its Day of the Dead -also
known as Dia de Muertos -- they can have a chance to connect with loved ones
who have passed away. It is not known when the first celebration was held however,
it has its roots in the beliefs of Mexico's agricultural prehistoric times, according to Andres Medina,
a scientist with the Anthropological Research Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
"In this mythology, it is believed that the crop gets buried after it is planted, and then leads to
an underground existence for a time, only to reappear as a plant," Medina said.
Corn is considered to be an embryo, comparable to the bone,
which is considered to be the source of life.