110 
GALLERY OF ANTIQUITIES. 
[ELGIN 
ELGIN SALOON*. 
As many of the sculptures in this Room have been referred to, in 
various publications, by the numbers with which they were marked in 
their former situation, those numbers have been retained; but, to faci¬ 
litate a reference from the Synopsis to the marbles, a fresh set of 
numbers, adapted to their present disposition, has been added in 
red. The original numbers are subjoined to the descriptions. 
Those which have the letter A prefixed refer to such articles as were 
originally placed in the room then denominated the Fourteenth. 
The objects themselves are described in the following order:— 
1. The Metopes. 
2. The Frieze. 
3. The Pedimental Sculptures. 
4. Miscellaneous objects, statues, inscriptions, &c. 
1. The Metopes. 
Nos. 1—16. Sixteen of the metopes belonging to the Parthenon, 
(of which No. 9 is a cast in plaster, from the original in the Royal Mu¬ 
seum at Paris,) w 7 hich, alternately with the triglyphs, ornament the 
frieze of the entablature surmounting the colonnade : they represent the 
battle between the Centaurs and Lapithas, or rather between the Cen¬ 
taurs and Athenians, who under Theseus joined the Lapithae (a people 
of Thessaly) in this contest. In some of these sculptures the Centaurs 
are victorious, in others the Athenians have the advantage, while in 
others, again, the victory seems doubtful. These magnificent speci¬ 
mens of ancient art are executed with great spirit in alto-rilievo ; they 
were seen originally at a height of nearlv forty-four feet from the 
ground. (11, 2, 8, 12, 15, 6, 4, 5, 13, 7, 1, 3, 9, 14, 10.) 
No. 16 a. Metope of the right angle of the north side of the temple, 
representing two females, one seated on a rock, the other standing. 
No. 16b. Metope from the left corner of the west fa 9 ade, repre¬ 
senting a horseman. 
No. 16c. Cast of a metope ; Centaur bearing off a female. Re¬ 
cently discovered at Athens, 
The sculptures from 17 to 90 (inclusive) compose the exterior frieze 
of the cella of the Parthenon, which embellished the upper part of the 
walls within the colonnade, at the height of the frieze of the pronaos, 
and which was continued in an uninterrupted series of sculpture entirely 
round the temple. It is in very low relief. The subject represents the 
sacred procession which took place at the great Panathensea, a festival 
which was celebrated every fifth year, at Athens, in honour of Minerva, 
the patroness of the city. The bas-reliefs which compose this frieze are 
arranged, as nearly as can be ascertained, in the order in which they 
were originally placed in the Parthenon, several alterations having been 
made on their removal to their present situation, in consequence of a 
* All the articles in this room, except a few which are particularly specified, 
belonged to the Earl of Elgin. 
In this room are placed two models of the Parthenon at Athens, made by R. C. 
Lucas ; one exhibits the condition in which this temple appeared after the bom¬ 
bardment by the Venetian general, Morosini, in a.d. 1687; the other the same 
edifice restored. 
