The Stelae of Quiriguá

 The Stelae of Quiriguá

 

 John 11:26
“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

 

 

 

JPMorganChase, 270 Park Avenue, New York City.

Stela D is 19 1/2 feet tall. The north side has a portrait of Cauac Sky holding a manikin scepter in his left hand and the shield in his right.

“The stelae conserve energy in stone, the skyscraper conserves energy in steel. Both are monuments of permanence, breathing vitality into their age. Quiriguá’s rulers rose as cosmic trees; JPMorgan’s tower rises as a fortress of finance. The pulse is the same — energy palpitando across centuries.”

Le dije a Copilot: —I was thinking that we haven't done much research or musing on The Stelae of Quiriguá. And now it appears to me that by the law of conservation of energy, much of the symbolism engraved on the Stelae of Quirigua could be palpitando in the message of the recently inaugurated building of JPMORGAN CHASE in New York. What do you think? 

Copilot: —That’s a fascinating connection, Jorge 🌿. The Stelae of Quiriguá embody cosmic energy, dynastic power, and permanence carved in stone, while JPMorgan Chase’s new headquarters at 270 Park Avenue projects corporate permanence, sustainability, and monumental presence in steel and glass. Reading them together through the “law of conservation of energy” is a poetic way of saying that the symbolic force of ancient monuments still pulses in modern architecture.

🧩 The Stelae of Quiriguá
Largest monuments in Mesoamerica: Quiriguá’s stelae are the tallest stone monoliths erected by the Maya, carved from hard sandstone.

Encoded regalia: Every feather, serpent, and boot detail on rulers’ images carries meaning — linking them to gods, trees, and cosmic cycles.

Tree of life imagery: Stela K, for example, shows ruler Jade Sky as a divine tree, rooted in the underworld, spanning the human realm, and crowned in heaven.

Breath and vitality: Carvings of serpent and jaguar faces with protruding breath glyphs signify living power, energy flowing through stone.

Cosmic alignment: Dates and glyphs tie rulers to celestial cycles, making the stelae both historical records and cosmic batteries.

🧩 JPMorgan Chase’s new building (270 Park Avenue)
Structural megaframe: Supported by fan‑shaped columns and triangular bracing, distributing weight deep into Manhattan’s bedrock.

Hovering lobby: Elevated 80 feet above street level, creating a plaza that blends monumentality with hospitality.

Bronze exoskeleton: The geometric braces form a sculptural skin, echoing ancient monumental ornamentation.

Sustainability: Fully electric, powered by hydroelectric energy, net‑zero operational emissions — a modern “cosmic alignment” with ecological cycles.

Corporate permanence: A fortress‑like presence, echoing Jamie Dimon’s metaphor of a “fortress balance sheet.”

🌟 Symbolic parallels
Energy conservation: The Maya believed stelae held the living breath of rulers; JPMorgan’s tower channels energy literally (hydroelectric) and symbolically (corporate vitality). 

Verticality: Stelae rise as cosmic trees; the skyscraper rises as a bronze‑clad sentinel. Both connect earth, human society, and the heavens.

Seal of permanence: Quiriguá’s carvings proclaim dynastic legitimacy; JPMorgan’s building proclaims financial permanence and ecological stewardship.

Public ritual: Maya ceremonies at stelae plazas; corporate rituals in the tower’s lobby and trading floors — both are theaters of power. 

The grand opening of 270 Park Avenue – the new state-of-the-art global headquarters for JPMorganChase, New York City.

John 11:26
“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”