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PHOEBE A. HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY
9 � MEXICAN FOLK ART
Milagros on display in
Mexico City church,1996.
The word milagro means
“miracle” in Spanish. They
are miniature objects in
silver, tin, or gold. First, a
person will ask for a favor
from a saint. Once the
favor has been granted a
milagro is pinned on or
near a religious figure in
thanks for the granting of
a favor. A heart may be
used to represent the
worries of a heart condition
or to represent the
love someone might feel
for another person, an eye
is chosen for sight, an ear
for hearing. The use of
such images was introduced
by the Spanish.
Milagors were once handmade;
however today they
are often sold by street
vendors or in shops. They
are often strung up on red
ribbons.
Photograph by Stanley
Brandes, Professor of
Anthropology, UC Berkeley.