Location of the Parthenon Sculptures
Between 1801 and 1812 Lord Elgin removed approximately half of the surviving sculptures known collectively as the Parthenon sculptures. These included 15 of the 92 metopes, 17 pedimental figures as well as 80 meters of the Parthenon frieze. These sculptures are on permanent exhibition in the British Museum. Some additional small fragments of the Parthenon sculptures are also located in the Louvre as well as in museums in the Vatican, Heidelberg, Vienna and Munich Almost 3,300 miles away, in Athens, lie the remainder of the Parthenon sculptures.
The Gallery
The reunification of these sculptures in their country of origin remains a hope and dream shared by many. To honour the cause for the reunification of the Parthenon sculptures and to better illustrate the detriment caused by the separation of the marbles, the following gallery was composed. The gallery features sculptures from the Parthenon pediments, frieze and metopes assembled together using pieces which are currently in Athens and their counterparts in London.
West pediment figure L. Goddess Athena | The Goddess Athena, to whom the Parthenon Temple itself was dedicated, gave her name to the city of Athens as its patron Goddess. The West Pediment featured the struggle between the Goddess and the God Poseidon over the patronage of Athens. The contest, according to mythology, took place on the Acropolis during the reign of the mythical king Kekrops. The pedimental sculptures were much larger than life size, though they diminished in stature further from the centrally placed figures of Athena and Poseidon, as they were fitted to the triangular shape of the pediment. |
North frieze, parts of block XXXIII and XXXIV. Cavalry Horseman | The horseman of the North Frieze forms part of the cavalry procession spanning several frieze blocks whose continuity is now broken through their division. He directly preceded a marshal on Block XXXIV, who directed the horses whilst on foot. This parade of horsemen, originally sixty in number, mirrors the riders on the South Frieze. The two files of the Panathenaic procession depart from the southwest corner block, and march in opposite directions towards the Gods on the East Frieze. |
West pediment figure M. Torso of Poseidon | The figure of Poseidon, God of the Oceans, stood next to Athena on the West Pediment, locked in combat with her. Poseidon's gift to Athens was a spring of water, while Athena offered the olive tree. The Athenians chose the olive tree, and Poseidon lost the contest. Subsequently, he brought down a flood upon the city, which deluge only subsided at the intervention of Zeus, King of the Gods. On either side of the two deities gathered the heroes and traditional ancestors of the Athenians. |
North frieze, blocks IV and V. Progression to the altar: Youths, sacrificial animals and tray-bearer | Animals are led to the altar as sacrificial offerings during the Panathenaic Procession in honour of the Goddess Athena. During the festival, the statue of the goddess would be presented with a new robe woven specially for the occasion. The women in this section of the frieze are very close to Goddess Athena, and precede the riders and the charioteers who race behind them in the sections referring to the Panathenaic Games. |
South frieze, part of block XXI. Ranks of horsemen | The South Frieze block depicted here continues the parade of military horsemen taking part in the Panathenaic procession. Sixty horsemen flanked the south side of the temple, and were grouped according to tribe (phyle), following the political organisation of the Athenian state into ten tribes. This group mirrors a similar group of sixty horsemen on the first section of the north frieze. At each corner is the figure of a marshal who supervises the games. |
East frieze block VIII. Procession of women | The depiction of the Panathenaic procession continues, here featuring a quieter scene, with women turning towards the Gods advancing on foot in front of the cavalry. These women are at the head of one column of the procession, separated from the Gods only by the mythical eponymous heroes of Athens. |
South metope 12. Battle between a centaur and a Lapith woman | The battle for the Lapith women at the wedding of Pirithous continues. Here a Lapith woman defends herself against a Centaur. The contrast between the animal and human, between civilisation and barbarity and their frequent intersection, is a recurring feature in Greek art. The Centaurs were eventually defeated and banished. The Centauromachy, as the battle was known, is depicted on twenty-three of the metopes on the south side of the temple. Theseus, semi-mythical king of Athens and a close friend of Pirithous, may be seen among the heroes. |
South metope 9. Battle between a centaur and a Lapith | The four sets of metopes - square panels on the outer face of the temple carved in high relief - featured famous battles of mythology: the battle with the Amazons, between the Lapiths and the Centaurs, between the Gods and the Giants, and the Trojan War. The battle featured here erupted between the Centaurs and the Lapiths, a human tribe living in the north of Greece, when the Centaurs attempted to rape the Lapith women when invited to the wedding of the hero Pirithous. |
North frieze blocks XXVI to XXVIII. Charioteers | Depicted here is the last chariot in the 'apobates' race, one of the oldest of the Panathenaic contests. During the race, the hoplite soldier accompanying the charioteer mounted and dismounted from the racing chariot. In the scene on the frieze twelve chariots show the start of the race, the race itself, the mounting of the hoplites and the finish, each chariot taking up one and a half blocks. The horses were yoked to the two-wheeled chariots by means of a wooden shaft that was attached to the axis of the wheels. |
East frieze, blocks IV and V. Seated Gods | The Olympian Gods sit awaiting the presentation of the robe to Athena at the culmination of the procession. Featured here are (left to right) Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture, Ares, God of War, Iris, the messenger of Zeus, Hera, Queen of the Gods, and Zeus, King and Father of Gods and Men. This group is the focal point of the entire frieze. Behind Zeus, the row continued with the figure of a priest holding the robe or 'peplos' prior to presenting Athena with the offering. Athena herself sat with Hephaestus to the right of this group. |
