Ah-Puch as a hunter, Classic period pottery art.
Ah Puch plays a big role in Maya mythology. He is the Mayan god of the ninth hell called Mitnal Death, and occasionally decay. He was also the god of the birth of children and beginnings He is also known as Ah Cimih, Ah Cizin, Hun Ahau, Kimi, or Yum Kimil. In the Quechua language Cimi means "Death" and Cizin “The Flatulent One” alludes to the odour of death.
Mayans were much more fearful of death than other Mesoamerican cultures—Ah Puch was envisioned as a hunting figure that stalked the houses of people who were injured or sick. Mayans typically engaged in extreme, even loud mourning after the death of loved ones. It was believed that the loud wailing would scare Ah Puch away and prevent him from taking any more down to Mitnal with him.
Ah-Puch was referred to as God A in the Alphabet Gods system. He is also known to send an owl, Muan, as his messenger.
In Literature[]
Ah-Puch is the primary antagonist of the book The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes, and appears as a minor character in the next two books, The Fire Keeper and The Shadow Crosser.
Ah-Puch is slated to be a minor protagonist in the (currently in progress, this is written by the author of said book) The Mesoamerican Three, which is about Maya, Aztec and Inca mythologies.