| Title: | Cult statue of Athena Parthenos |
| Context: | From Athens, Acropolis |
| Summary: | Athena Parthenos armed and standing |
| Object Function: | Cult |
| Sculptor: | Literary attestation to Pheidias |
| Material: | Chryselephantine |
| Sculpture Type: | Free-standing statue |
| Category: | Original/copies |
| Style: | High Classical |
| Technique: | In-the-round |
| Original or Copy: | Original (lost) |
| Date: | 432 BC |
| Scale: | Colossal |
| Period: | High Classical |
Subject Description:
As restored from copies, Athena probably stood with her weight on her right leg, and her left leg relaxed. She wore sandals, a peplos belted over the overfold, an aegis, and a helmet. A centauromachy was illustrated on the soles (?) of her sandals, and the helmet was decorated with griffins and sphinxes. On the palm of her outstretched (right?) hand she held a statue of Nike, and in the other she held a spear. At her feet rested a shield, within which (?) a serpent (representing Erichthonios) was coiled. The shield was decorated on the outside with an Amazonomachy, and on the inside with gigantomachy. On the statue base was illustrated the birth of Pandora, the progenitor of the race of women.
Condition: Lost
Associated Building: Athens, Parthenon
Sources Used:
Other Bibliography: