Museum Explorer
Birds and beasts in
the Americas
Wild cat container
From: Mexico (Teotihuacan)
Date: 150 BC - AD 750
This container has been made in the shape of a wild big cat, probably an ocelot. Gifts for the gods (offerings) may have been placed in the two spaces in the ocelot's back. Ocelots still live in the forests of central America. They have brown coats with dark spots.
Cat-like animals are often shown on pottery and in paintings from the ancient city of Teotihuacan. Jaguars were particularly worshipped as they were linked to rulers. One big wall painting in Teotihuacan shows a procession of jaguars blowing conch shell trumpets.
