The origins of the Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, can be traced back to the native cultures of central and southern Mexico, particularly the Aztecs and the Toltec people. It is believed to have existed long before the Spanish conquest, with its roots possibly extending to the practices of the Toltec civilisation. The celebration was associated with the goddess of death and the underworld, Mictecacihuatl, who played a central role in Aztec mythology.