118 
GALLERY OF ANTIQUITIES. 
[ELGIN 
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 Roval Mu¬ 
seum at Paris,) which, alternately with the triglyphs, ornament the 
frieze of the entablature surmounting the colonnade : they represent the 
battle between the Centaurs and Lapithse, or rather between the Cen¬ 
taurs and Athenians, who under Theseus joined the Lapithse (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 execu’ed with great spirit in alto-rilievo ; they 
were seen originally at a height of nearly fortv-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. 16 b. Metope from the left corner of the west facade, 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 w 7 as 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 Panathenaa, a festival 
which was celebrated every fifth year, at xMhens, 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 
more careful examination and minute comparison of them with draw¬ 
ings made before their removal from the temple. Those on the prin¬ 
cipal front of the temple, namely the east, commence on the left hand 
of the visitor as he enters the room, then follow those of the north, and 
lastly those of the west and south. 
2. The Frieze. 
Nos. 17—24. That portion of the above-mentioned frieze which 
occupied the east end of the temple. On two of the slabs which com¬ 
pose this part of the frieze are represented divinities and deified heroes, 
seated; namely, Castor and Pollux, Ceres and Triptolemus, Jupiter 
and Juno, iEsculapius and Hygeia. A third slab, -which represented 
four other divinities, also seated, has been destroyed. On the right and 
left of these sacred characters are trains of females with their faces 
directed to the gods, to whom they are carrying gifts. we see also 
directors or regulators of the procession, among whom are the officers 
whose duty it was to receive the presents that were offered. These fe¬ 
males appear to have headed the procession, and to have been followed 
by the victims, charioteers, horsemen, &c., both on the north and south 
sides of the temple, which together formed a procession up to the 
same point in two separate columns. Nos. 20 and 23 are casts in 
plaster, presented by Sir Francis Chantrey. The original of the latter 
