The panther is a very ancient and powerful totem. Panthers are loners, secretive, silent and graceful and are a symbol for the life and power of the night. The black panther is actually the same species as the leopard and the jaguar, it is just a color variation. The jaguar was seen as a god and was worshiped by the Mayans, Aztecs and the Inca. In the pantheon of gods, the jaguar was second only to the snake god (Quetzalcoatl) in religious importance. In Mayan mythology, the jaguar was the ruler of the Underworld, and as such a symbol of the night and darkness. The panther is representative of power, ferocity, and valor and the embodiment of aggressiveness. The panther was a totemic symbol of the Greek god Dionysus (Roman god Bacchus) whose priests wore panther skins. The word for panther in Greek meant "all beasts" and the panther was the beast version of the god Pan. According to Greek mythology, Dionysus was nursed by a panther and is sometimes depicted riding in a chariot pulled by panthers. In Greece and Rome Dionysus / Bacchus is the god of wine and mirth, but he is strongly linked to the unleashing of desires. So the panther too is a symbol of sub-conscious urges and abilities. As a heraldic symbol, the panther was adopted by German, Austrian, Croatian, and Carolingian noble families and appeared on their banners and coats of arms. The panther is said to save the people from the dragon or evil one and was actually a symbol of Christ in early Christianity. To Native Americans, the panther was endowed with great magic and power, and they regarded the panther as the Protector of the Universe. My drawing is of a panther resting in a tree, a familiar pose, it is a black panther in this drawing as a result of all of the intricate designs hidden within the body of the image.