The East pediment
- Audio guide stop: 262
- Gallery: Room 18
- Audio guide: one commentary for a group of objects shown together
- Museum: The British Museum
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About these objects
These sculptures on display come from the East pediment of the Parthenon in Athens, created between 438 and 432 BC under the design of the renowned artist Pheidias. The East pediment depicted a significant moment in Greek mythology—the miraculous birth of the goddess Athena from the head of her father, Zeus.
Each figure shows remarkable attention to detail, capturing movement, pose, and drapery with a fluid grace that reflects the artistic ideals of Classical Greece. Though many central figures are now missing or broken, the ones you see are important survivors, carved from single blocks of marble.
Look closely at one of the standout pieces: a carved female figure who sits gracefully draped in layers of fabric. Nearby, a figure of a young girl appears to be in motion, her flowing garments suggesting speed and energy. These figures speak to the grandeur of the Parthenon and how, even in fragments, they preserve a powerful story from ancient Athens.
See it in person
The East pediment 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, 262, 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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