A towering gold and ivory statue of the goddess Athena was housed in the front chamber of the Parthenon. Created by the sculptor Phidias, the statue gazed down from a height of nearly 40 feet. Today, not even one piece of this treasure survives. The statue shown here, Athena Parthenos of Varvakion, was created in the second century A.D. We know how the original statue of Athena looked only from descriptions that marveled at the statue's size, beauty, and value.

What was the significance of the Parthenon's sculptures?
The giant statue of Athena dominated the Parthenon. Other sculptures depicting Athena's life also filled the triangular sections under the roof, known as pediments, at the east and west ends of the building. Today only a few sculptures from the east pediment remain in their original setting. Several figures from the pediments are in the British Museum. Other figures and fragments lie scattered in museums in Greece, France, and Italy. To imagine how the pediments once looked, we must piece together contemporary accounts, artists' sketches, and the fragments themselves. According to contemporary writings, the sculptures in the east pediment told the violent tale of the birth of Athena. After an axe split open Zeus' head, the goddess emerged full-grown. The pediment's designer set this crucial event between two horse-drawn chariots, one for the rising sun and the other for the setting moon. Today only figures from the corners survive.

The west pediment displayed a great battle between Athena and Poseidon, the god of the sea. Nothing of this scene remains in place. In 1674, however, the pediment was still in good condition, allowing an artist named Jacques Carrey to capture it in a drawing. At the center of Carrey's drawing, the opponents recoil from each other. Behind them, charioteers rein in their rearing horses.

Credits: Parthenon © SuperStock; Athena of Varvakion National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece. Photo © Nimatallah/Art Resource, New York; Demeter and Persephone British Museum, London. Photo © Scala/Art Resource, New York.

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