Parthenon Frieze _ South XLVI, 142, 143, 144

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On these two blocks, the procession of bulls, young herdsmen and occasional himation-clad marshals comes to an end with a sense of finality. The leader (149) stands out at the head of the procession, looking straight out at the viewer with a strong frontal stance. The south side of the frieze is badly damaged from the tremendous catastrophe that occurred in 1687, when the Parthenon was devastated by an explosion. As a result, the sequence from block XX on is uncertain and only partially preserved. However, the Carrey drawings provide valuable insight into the missing sections and have helped locate several existing fragments. The original length of the frieze along the south side was 58.70 meters, composed of forty-seven blocks that were placed end to end. Some of these blocks are now exhibited in the Acropolis Museum, while others can be found in the British Museum. On average, each block measures 1.22 meters wide. Despite being less skillfully crafted than the north frieze, some sections of the south frieze stand out as masterpieces of the Parthenon (blocks III, X, XI, XXVI, XXXI and XLIV). The procession begins at the west corner and moves steadily to the right, featuring a mix of riders, chariots, and sacrificial offerings. In contrast to the north frieze, which showcases diverse poses, garments, and movements, the south frieze features riders moving in a straight line with minimal variation. However, on block V, rider (13) stands out as an exception, breaking the monotony of the procession. The varied depiction of horses' trimmed manes conveys their speed and energy. As in the north frieze, the south side is divided into three main sections: a) the horsemen, b) the chariots, and c) the sacrificial procession. It is likely that the arrangement of the horsemen followed the political organization of the Athenian state, with riders grouped according to tribe. The variation in garments supports this interpretation, with ten groups of six riders each displaying distinct attire. The first group (2-7) wears a fox-hide cap, short chiton, chlamys, and boots, while the second group (8-13) dons only chlamys. The third group (14-19) sports a short cuirass over a short chiton and boots. The fourth group (20-25) is clad in short chiton and chlamys, the fifth group (26-31) wears an anatomical cuirass over a short chiton and boots, and the sixth group (32-37) sports a fox-skin cap, short chiton, and boots. The seventh group (38-43) dons an Athenian helmet, short chiton, chlamys, and boots, while the eighth group (44-49) wears chlamys over a short chiton and boots. The ninth group (50-55) is clad in petasos, short chiton, chlamys, and boots, and the tenth group (56-61) sports short chiton and boots. Following the horsemen is the procession of chariots, which is severely fragmentary due to the 1687 explosion. Only ten chariots remain intact, each occupying a single block, with some standing still (XXVI), others starting (XXIX), and a few racing full speed ahead (XXXI). Depicted on subsequent blocks are the sacrificial procession participants: thallophoroi carrying olive branches, musicians playing citharas (kitharai), skaphephoroi bearing offering trays, and animals accompanied by their herdsmen. The Parthenon's frieze forms a continuous band of low-relief scenes encircling the upper part of the cella within the outer colonnade. The theme depicted is the procession toward the Acropolis that took place during the Great Panathenaia, commemorating the birthday of goddess Athena. Frieze slabs are identified by Roman numerals, while people are denoted by Arabic numerals, as per I. Jenkins' 1994 publication "The Parthenon Frieze".