Encerrado

Encerrado are tragic spirits in Mexican colonial-era folklore, believed to be the souls of children sacrificed and walled alive into the foundations of buildings for spiritual protection during construction. These child ghosts remain trapped, moaning, crying, or playing at night, their sounds echoing through walls as a haunting reminder of the sacrifice. The practice, rooted in pre-Columbian and colonial beliefs, was thought to ensure the structure's stability and ward off evil. Legends warn that disturbing the walls or failing to honor the spirits can bring misfortune or release the angry Encerrado, symbolizing the dark side of architectural traditions and the cost of progress in Mexican cultural memory.