After visiting the Pyramid of the Sun, we walked further down the Avenue of the Dead to the Mural of the Puma. This Mural was interesting but incomplete, or at least incompletely excavated and/or restored. You can very easily miss it when walking down the Avenue of the Dead. The Puma feels fierce and warlike, consistent with the feeling of the square pyramidal bases lining the Avenue of the Dead.
According to the INAH Plaque accompanying this Mural, the Mural of the Puma is part of a group of platforms and temples that archaeologists call the Puma Complex. This mural is typical of the decoration on the slope-panel facades of buildings located on both sides of Avenue of the Dead. This mural shows a large wild cat, probably a Puma, with open jaws and large claws protruding from its paws. The inhabitants painted this cat over a background of slanting bands alternately colored red, white, and green, symbolizing an aquatic atmosphere. The inhabitants decorated the panel moulding with green circles that represent “Chalchihuites” or precious stones.
