Smith, Arthur H.; British Museum <London> / Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities [Hrsg.]: A Catalogue of the sculptures of the Parthenon, in the British Museum (London, 1900)

FRIEZE OF PARTHENON. 65

On the western front of the Parthenon all the fourteen
metopes, except vi. and vii., remain in position on the
temple, but their surface has been so much injured, that
their subjects cannot be made out. The best preserved
of these metopes appear to represent a battle of Greeks
against Amazons.
323. This is a cast from the first of the metopes of the west
side, and represents a figure mounted on a horse, moving
to the right, with the right hand drawn back as if
aiming a spear, and having a ehlamys flying behind. If
the metopes on this front represented an Amazonomachia,
this figure may be an Amazon. The surface is much
damaged, and the sex cannot be determined with cer-
tainty. A drawing by Pars in the British Museum makes
this a male figure, and the somewhat spare outlines
of the limbs seem to confirm this view. On the other
hand, the remains of the waist and right breast are
better suited to the figure of an Amazon.

Michaelis, pi. 5, West side, i.; Stereoscopic, No. 80.

The corresponding metopes on the east side of the
Parthenon remain on the building, but have all suffered
great injury. They appear to have represented scenes
from the war of the gods and giants.

Michaelis, pi. 5, East side, i.-xir., p. 142 ; Robert, Arch. Zest. 1884,
p. 47.

THE FRIEZE OP THE PARTHENON.

The Frieze of the Parthenon is a continuous band of
sculpture in low relief, which encircled and crowned the
central chamber or cella of the temple, together with the
smaller porticoes that immediately adjoined each end of it.,

The frieze is nearly 3 ft. 4 in. high. The height of the
relief is somewhat greater at the top than at the bottom.