108 GALLERY OF ANTIQUITIES. [ELGIN 
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 
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. 
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, and Aesculapius and Hygeia. There was originally a third 
slab, which represented four other divinities, also seated, but it has dis¬ 
appeared for many years. On the right and left of these sacred cha¬ 
racters, 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 females 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 is in the Royal Museum at 
Paris. The upper parts of two of the figures in No. 21, the legs 
and right arm of the youthful figure in No. 22, and the two figures 
placed under the latter number, are also of plaster, from moulds made 
before the destruction of these figures, which took place before the 
marbles came into the possession of Lord Elgin. (16, 17, 18, 18*, 
19, 20, A 100, 21.) 
Nos. 25—46. A portion of the same frieze, taken from the north 
side of the temple. No. 25 is a fragment of a much larger slab; it 
represents two of the Metceci , or strangers, who settled at Athens, and 
were allowed to take part in the procession. They carry on their 
shoulders a kind of tray filled with cakes and other articles. The re¬ 
mainder of this part of the frieze represents charioteers and horsemen. 
Among the latter are seven slabs, (Nos. 37—43,) which, whether we 
consider the elegance of the compositions, or the spirit with which the 
figures of the men and horses are executed, present us with the highest 
effort of the art of sculpture in the class of low relief. No. 46 having 
been placed at the south-west corner of the temple, the figure sculptured 
at the end of it belongs to that part of the procession which decorated 
the west end of the cella. It is repeated in plaster, that the whole of 
the western frieze may be seen by the spectator at one view. (22, 
