Stela K is one of the notable monuments at the ancient Maya site of Quirigua, located in southeastern Guatemala. This stela features Quirigua’s last known ruler, Jade Sky, who reigned in the late 8th century CE.
The monument depicts Jade Sky dressed in full lordly regalia. Key features of Stela K include:
- A double crown headdress adorning the ruler’s head
- Large round ear spools with pendants hanging from them
- Necklaces made of jade beads
- A large square apron covering the ruler’s tunic
- Jaguar-heeled boots
- A ceremonial bar held across the chest, terminated at each end with a badly eroded serpent head
Like other stelae at Quirigua, Stela K is carved from sandstone, which allowed for more detailed and three-dimensional sculpting compared to stelae at other Maya sites. The hard sandstone available in the region enabled Quirigua’s artisans to create monuments of exceptional size and detail.
Stela K is part of the broader context of Quirigua’s monumental architecture, which flourished particularly during the reign of Cauac Sky (724-785 CE). While Stela K represents a later period in the site’s history, it continues the tradition of elaborate royal portraiture and hieroglyphic inscriptions that characterize Quirigua’s monuments.
The stelae at Quirigua, including Stela K, serve as important historical documents, providing information about Maya political history, mythology, and cosmology through their intricate carvings and hieroglyphic texts.
