The Parthenon Sculptures: temple-relief
- Gallery: Room 18
- Maker: Pheidias
- Culture: Classical Greek
- Made in: Athens
- Date: 438BC-432BC
- Object type: temple-relief
- Materials: marble
- Museum number: 1816,0610.17
- 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.
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About this object
This is a marble relief from the East frieze of the Parthenon, part of "The Parthenon Sculptures." It comes from Classical Greece, created between 438 and 432 B.C. in Athens. The artwork shows a solemn procession of girls dressed in tunics and mantles, carrying ritual jugs and incense stands. Their careful steps hint at the religious ceremony taking place.
The scene also includes male figures leaning on sticks, perhaps symbols of civic leadership or heroic ancestors. These figures frame the procession as it moves toward the gods seated in the frieze center.
Designed by the famous Greek sculptor Pheidias, this relief once decorated the grand Parthenon temple. It was discovered during excavations on the Acropolis and is now displayed in the museum, offering visitors a rare look at the classical world’s artistry and public rituals.
See it in person
The Parthenon Sculptures: temple-relief 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 take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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