East frieze of the gods
- Audio guide stop: 257
- Gallery: Room 18
- Maker: Pheidias
- Culture: Classical Greek
- Made in: Athens
- Date: 438BC-432BC
- Object type: temple-relief
- Materials: marble
- Museum number: 1816,0610.18
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a marble relief from the East frieze of the Parthenon, known as "The Parthenon Sculptures." This segment, Block IV, captures part of the grand Panathenaic festival procession, a celebration of the goddess Athena’s birthday.
At the heart of the scene are four men resting on sticks, possibly civic leaders or magistrates. To their right sit three gods and a goddess. On the far left is Hermes, clutching a staff, his boots possibly winged. Beside him turns a figure, likely Dionysus, leaning on a staff now missing.
Next sits Demeter, draped in a peplos and mantle, her hand resting as if in contemplation. At her side is Ares, whose one leg rests casually on a broken spear. The gods appear half-clothed in flowing cloaks, capturing a moment of anticipation.
These sculptures, designed by Pheidias around 438 to 432 BCE in Athens, reflect the artistry and spiritual traditions of Classical Greece.
See it in person
East frieze of the gods is on display in Room 18 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 257, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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