Extending the line of the submerged structure in the reservoir that led us to the Temple
of Isis all the way to the East river, we are directed to the United Nations Headquarters
in midtown Manhattan.
The iconic Secretariat building's proportions are based on Phi.
As you know this proportion links the structure with the Washington Monument and the Great
Pyramid.
Did you know the 69,000 square meter site of UN Headquarters is considered International
territory, and is technically not part of New York City?
The UN Headquarters has its own security force, fire department, and postal administration
that even issues its own stamps.
The notion of UN Headquarters being a city within a city reminds me of how the Vatican
also is a city within Rome.
I like to refer to this as a nested city or fractal structure.
I was fascinated to discover that the Italian government donated an Arnaldo Pomodoro Sphere
within Sphere sculpture to the UN in 1991.
The golden ball beautifully represents the concept of a city within a city.
The internal structures seem to me like buildings and streets on the inner surfaces of the spheres.
I'm intrigued because I've seen three other similar sculptures in locations significant
to my research.
Pomodoro made a series of six Spheres within Spheres scattered around the world.
Significant Sphere within Sphere locations are the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
in DC very close to the Capitol Building, the De Young museum in San Francisco, and
in the Vatican's Courtyard of the Belvedere.
We'll be visiting the latter two locations in due course.
The Security Council chamber is the emergency room of the UN where decisions involving economic
sanctions and military action are sometimes made.
Notice the horseshoe-shaped desk surrounding 13 chairs located at a rectangular table in
the center.
The red chairs flanking the central group are arranged in rows of 13.
All these Lucky 13’s are reminiscent of the many 13's on Great Seal of the United
States.
The mural in the Security Council Chamber is by Norwegian artist Per Krogh and it contains
some highly interesting symbolism.
CUT I see symbols of Sun, Moon, and Vesica Pisces, the story of Adam & Eve with Lucifer
and Cain, the phoenix, the dying beast of war, and an allegory depicting the original
motto of the French revolution: Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, ou la Mort.
Let’s have a closer look.
The left arched panel shows a woman opening a window letting in rays of golden sunlight.
The right arched panel shows a man letting a white horse run before the full moon.
Sun and Moon are symbolized in Masonic lodges by the columns Boaz on the left and Jachin
on the right.
Boaz and Jachin originally stood in Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem; Boaz symbolizes the Sun
and Jachin the Moon.
We’ll see this symbolism again in the towers of Sun and Moon at Chartres cathedral.
The Vesica Pisces shape in the center of the mural contains the story of original sin.
Young Adam and Eve stand in the background.
Lucifer hanging from serpentine vines in the Tree of Knowledge hands Eve the infamous apple.
Years pass and Adam and Eve are shown with arms interlocked closer to the center of the
Vesica Pisces.
In time their firstborn Cain is shown in the foreground at his parents’ feet.
This unmistakable imagery is strange to say the least in a chamber representing all the
nations of the world.
The mural symbolizing the security of all nations should probably embrace all cultures
and religions, but it clearly has a distinctly Judeo-Christian subtext.
You have to look closely to perceive it, but there is a faint circle representing the Sun
surrounding the Vesica Pisces.
Tiny flames can be seen emanating from this circle, which carry through four of the mural’s
panels.
Here the Sun or son emerges from the center of the Vesica Pisces or womb.
The bird below the Vesica Pisces is a phoenix, standing over the ashes of its parent.
The phoenix is a symbol of transformation and of the cyclical nature of time.
Herodotus recorded the fact that this mysterious bird has ancient Egyptian provenance:
“There is a sacred bird called the phoenix.
I have never seen it myself except in pictures, for it is extremely rare, only appearing according
to the people of Heliopolis, once in five hundred years, when it is seen after the death
of its parent.”
–Histories Book II The beast of war is shown slain in an underground
crypt, run through with a sword.
The abandoned artillery, machine gun, and solider laying down his rifle show this is
the end of the Second World War.
The UN was chartered at the end of this conflict in 1945 and therefore the war imagery is entirely
appropriate.
Souls or shades in between life and death (literally in monochrome) are being helped
up from below on both sides of the mural.
Shades on the solar left side are tinted gold and shades on the lunar right side are appropriately
tinted silver.
The original motto of the French revolution Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, ou la Mort
(Liberty, Equality, Brotherhood, or Death) surprisingly maps to much of the remaining
symbolism.
Souls being lifted with ropes up into the light are gaining their Liberty.
The scene in the upper left shows a group of people weighing grain, presumably to distribute
it with Equality.
The party in the two panels surrounding the Vesica Pisces illustrates Brotherhood, with
all types of people and children happily united holding cyan ribbons and UN flags.
Those souls who died in the war are lining up and entering the starry door of Death behind
the Phoenix.
La Mort was later dropped from the revolutionary motto because it reminded people too much
of the Reign of Terror.
The tricolor flag of the French Republic symbolizes the three-term motto Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.
The scene in the upper right shows scientists investigating the macrocosm and microcosm
with telescope and microscope.
The two upper panels hold a political message with the depiction of people painting, planting,
designing, playing music, singing, writing, and dancing.
I think the implication is humanity may enjoy these higher pleasures after war has been
transformed (like a Phoenix) into peace through the agency of the United Nations.
The symbolism in the mural contains Judeo-Christian, Masonic, French revolutionary, and ancient
Egyptian imagery that become apparent only under careful analysis.
The mural is more than a small decorative element—it dominates the Security Council
chamber.
Therefore, I think the choice of symbolism embedded in the mural tells us something about
the character of the United Nations itself.
I find the hidden connections to Masons and Egypt most provocative.
Contemplating the United Nations got me thinking about national symbols.
Consider the UN flag as a symbol of nations coming together in peace.
As I already mentioned, the map is divided into 33 sectors.
It seems appropriate that the Earth is flanked by two olive branches symbolizing peace.
Each of these branches contains 13 leaves.
The UN flag is cyan in color and was created after the UN was chartered in 1945.
In 1947 the UN decided to partition Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a
UN-administered Jerusalem.
This decision led to a series of wars and ultimately Israel's independence in 1948.
The Coat of Arms of Israel is also cyan in color.
It seems appropriate that the Menorah is featured because it's been a symbol of Judaism for
almost 3000 years.
The Menorah is flanked by two 13-leafed olive branches symbolizing peace, another parallel
with the UN flag.
There are many countries whose flags and coats of arms feature olives branches symbolizing
peace.
However only the UN emblem, and the Coats of Arms of Israel, the United States, and
the US Virgin Islands feature olive branches having exactly 13 leaves.
The US Virgin Islands' coat of arms is a modified version of the Great Seal of the United States.
The flag of the United States of America also features significant numerical symbolism.
There are 13 red and white stripes.
50 stars are arranged in 9 rows alternating between rows of 6 and 5 stars.
We'll learn the significance of the 9 rows in San Francisco and the alternating rows
of 6 and 5 stars in Egypt.