Commentary Prepared by Dr. Julia Lenaghan, Ashmolean Museum

A 087 A
Maidens and Marshals (Slab 7); Parthenon Frieze East

Marble (Pentelic)
Frieze
W 109 cm

Excavated by Fauvel in 1782 in front of the eastern porch of the Parthenon and later transferred to Paris.
France, Paris, Louvre, MA 738
High Classical, ca. 440-432 BC

Preservation:
The upper rim of the relief with the heads of the two male figures on either side is missing. The head of the girl on the left is completely worn off, while on the girl on the right the top is missing (both restored on the cast). The original left side of the slab is not preserved. A fragment with the right foot of the left figure joins break to break in the lower left corner.

Description:
The relief depicts four figures, two women in the centre flanked by two men. The men are almost identical in pose. They are shown in three-quarter profile from the right and stand relaxed with all the weight on the left leg. They are clad in a himation that is draped in the conventional fashion over their left shoulder and the lower body and leaves the chest exposed. The man on the left holds a long, flat objects before him with both his hands (there are four drill holes for the attachment of metal objects in this), while the man on the right points with the index finger of his left hand further to the right. His right arm is held downwards and close to the body; there is a small drill hole next to his right hand for the attachment of a metal attribute. The two female figures are depicted in left profile, walking in slow procession. They both wear a peplos and himation that is draped over their shoulders and their back, and sandals.

Discussion:
The scene depicted here marks the beginning of the procession. The two men must be marshals or high cult officials, for example the phylobasileis. The one on the left holds what appears to be a sacrificial tray; originally there were some objects painted on it or added in metal. The two girls, considerably shorter than the men, should be ergastinoi or kanephoroi, who assisted in the ritual.

Bibliography:
F. Brommer, Der Parthenonfries (Mainz 1977) 121-124 pl. 86 A very detailed study of the Parthenon frieze including previous bibliography and ample photographic documentation.
I. Jenkins, The Parthenon Frieze (London 1994) 81 The latest official documentation of the frieze by the British Museum. Jenkins has renumbered some of the slabs and put them in a different order.
E. Berger and M. Gisler-Huwiler, Der Parthenon in Basel. Dokumentation zum Fries (Basel 1996) 166-167 pl. 138 Detailed study of the Parthenon frieze based on the reconstruction in the Basel cast collection, including an extensive bibliography.