Thread: Inca Theme - aka Crystal Skull

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Granted, only my family has see Indiana Jones CS - but I think I have an image of what I want my 2008 yard to be.

Inca (Maya/Aztec/etc) jungle ruins. Lots of green light, moss, fake flame pots, tiki torches - and a big ol pyramid looking alter.

The alter wall will be made from the typical foam board techniques, have some shelf outcroppings, plenty of skulls, etc. I also have some thoughts on how to 'transform' the wall by moving some bricks in oand others out to form 'face' with timing lighting and sound effects. Followed by a varity of pop-scare items.

You know the drill, TOT takes the candy and the creepy yet serene jungle ruins come to life and try to implode around them, etc.

BUT in my early research and scavenging - I am having a hard time finding decorations, accesories, costumes, props, etc. (Yes I can begin to piece items together myself, nobody wants to see a store-bought inca-ruins-in-a-kit setup anyway). But even to get ideas has been sparse in the typical Halloween websites.

You can find some tiki stuff, but in reality it sorta looks out of place. Same goes for most witch doctor or voodoo items. Even items like foam wall plaques - lots of gargoyles, but nothing looking like the square-faced beasts you see in Inca/Aztec ruins...

Any advise on how to take some of these available items and get them more 'South America looking'? Any other stores I should be thinking of?

try a party store. There is one vermont that has spectacular tiki stuff. You may be able to alter some of things for an appropriate displaying (halloween of course).

Dollar Tree had lots of tikki things earlier this year. I remember seeing many of the mask type items.

I immediately thought of the Inca Mummy Girl ep. of Buffy (season 2).

I can see how it would be tough to find Incan-themed items in a sea of Tikis! You might be okay if you went with a more general jungle setting with a few props. If I run across anything, I'll post it here.

Here are some links I found:

Incan Mummy Prop

Starting around page 32, this book has a couple of incan projects.

Gold was big, so you can spray paint pots and urns and pile 'em up.

If you do a Ctrl F on this page, there's a cool motif that you could copy.

Often, sites for kids have a lot of cool info.
This one has some interesting text, but no images.
Here's another one.

Since they practiced sacrifice, an altar would be a cool touch. (ETA -- which you already have planned)

Thanks Melissa, those are some good ones to reference.

I just now need to find sources for materials and cheap replicas. I have some mechanical and technical skills - but not a single slice of artistic ability.

how about this... once you find an item, make a mold of it with latex. I've done that with a couple items and they really come out well. Just cast plaster of your choice. You can do the skull and cast it hollow.
Indoor Living - Aztec Fractured Skull Statue - 00804112072159
HA! Here's a site with bunches... maybe you could enlist the assistance of someone who is artistic.
Aztec Maya Incas Decor Store

Yea, I just found that Decor store too over lunch...! but I really like that lined-skull too.

I have not done any casting work...maybe this is the year to try. I think that perhaps I could buy one or two items (esp like those on the Decor Store) and then cast just parts for smaller separate items.

Thanks you guys. Keep em coming, I'll need some costume ideas too to deck out my skellie cast members.

Off to research latex and making casts...

Last year I did a theme that could probably transfer over to a South American jungle vibe pretty easy. I used cannibal, tribal items such as bamboo, skulls, bones, raffia, burlap, spears, Spanish moss, leaves, wood, camo netting, fire. Here are some picture of the haunt. I hope this helps spur some ideas. Go to my album to see more photos.

GenXer, that's great stuff! Spooky and classy theme. Really like the tarantula!