Catalina souvenir skulls

Catalina, because we like short cuts, is how most people in Southern California refer to Santa Catalina Island which sits twenty-something miles west of the Los Angeles harbor. Its history is rich with stories of shipwrecks and pirates. Long gone indigenous human habitation has been traced through archaeological digs back to 6000BC or so. I suppose, when originally sold, these may have referred to that history, or, they may have been Halloween merchandise or, maybe, available year 'round for people that just like skulls.

I can say for sure though, these have nothing to do with Catalina Pottery. Both the individual skull and the nodder salt and pepper shaker set are bisque fired porcelain. The shaker base is marked "Made in Japan".

Though posted in the Halloween spirit here, these are not just Halloween decorations at my home and are pretty much always around. These skeletal parts serve me as a reminder that no matter what shape it is or how it's wrapped, each and every one of us holds an assembly of white bones.