What is the bread called "Pan de Muerto" named for?

Question

I'm looking at a Hispanic grocery store ad which has a picture of a round bread loaf called "Pan de Muerto". Aside from being a round loaf, the top of the loaf is adorned with a small dome from which 8 "legs" of dough run down the side of the loaf. It resembles a spider stradling the loaf. How did this bread get its name?

Answer 1

I believe it means "Bread of the Dead." It is baked for el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Answer 2

Here you go. Mexican's have everything "de muerto" in celebration of the Day of the Dead, which is a very important celebration in Mexico.

You're fast :-) - KevinB, Oct 19, 2010

Isn't that your specialty? ;-) - Gekkosan, Oct 19, 2010

Answer 3

I used to rent a room to a baker from Puebla, MX who would bake bread in the stone oven that his dad had baked bread in all his life and then peddle to town on his bicycle loaded down w/baskets of bread to sell it every morning. I remember him telling me how he wouldn't sleep the day before the Day of the Dead because there would be so much Pan de Muerto to bake.

¡Qué interesante! Jen - 009a6649, Oct 19, 2010

Answer 4

It's special bread baked for Día de Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

Pan de Muerto