Parthenon Frieze _ East III, 12-17

Two pairs of girls (12 & 13 snd 14 & 15) each carry between them a peculiar trumpet-shaped object, the purpose of which is unknown. At their head, a third pair (16 & 17) stand empty-handed. The East frieze shows the continuation of the pedestrian procession that features on the long north and south sides. For the first time in the frieze, however, female figures are shown, carrying the paraphernalia of sacrifice. To left of centre they proceed from left to right while to right of centre they come from right to left – sixteen on one side and thirteen on the other. Ahead of these female figures are shown males who are not part of the procession proper but, leaning on sticks, are engaged in conversation with one another. These are perhaps the eponymous heroes of the ten tribes of democratic Athens. Their leaning posture would, if they were to stand erect, make them larger then the mortals approaching on either side. The eponymoi in turn would be dwarfed by the gods at the heart of the East frieze, shown seated and therefore larger then other figures in the frieze. The gods can be named by sex and attribute and represent the twelve Olympians, together with Iris and Eros. Zeus and Athena sit innermost. They frame the subject at the very centre of the East frieze where five figures are shown engaged in a ritual involving the sacred peplos of Athena, presentation of which (to the statue of Athena Polias) was the culminating event of the Panathenaic festival. Block III shows girls walking in a solemn procession. All the girls wear tunic and mantle. We see five girls carrying jugs for the pouring of ritual libations. Ahead of these, two pairs of girls each carry a peculiar trumpet-shaped object, usually seen as a stand for burning incense. A large dowel-hole is shown at the top of the first of the two. The foremost pair of girls stand quietly waiting, empty-handed.At the head of the procession there stands a group of men (continues on Block IV) draped is simple cloaks. The two men on this Block are in conversation. The men are seen as heroes or as civic dignitaries, perhaps magistrates waiting to preside over the ceremonies. A fragment with the feet of the figure on the right is in the Acropolis Museum, Athens.两对少女（年龄分别为12与13岁、14与15岁）两两协作，共同握持一件造型奇特的喇叭状器物，其具体用途至今不明。在这两对少女的前方，另有一对少女（年龄16与17岁）空手而立。 东向檐壁展现了南北长壁浮雕中出现的徒步游行队伍的延续部分。不过这是该檐壁浮雕中首次出现女性形象，她们手持祭祀器具。队伍中轴线左侧的人物自左向右行进，中轴线右侧的人物则自右向左行进，两侧分别有16人与13人。在这些女性形象前方，绘有男性群体——他们并非正式游行队伍的成员，而是倚杖相互交谈。这些人物或许是雅典民主制下十个部落的同名英雄（eponymous heroes）。若这些英雄直立起身，其身高将超过两侧行进的普通凡人；而位于东向檐壁视觉中心的诸神，身高又将远超这些同名英雄。诸神皆为坐姿，因此在浮雕中体型大于其他形象。这些神祇可按性别与标识分辨，包括十二位奥林匹亚诸神（Olympians），外加彩虹女神伊里斯（Iris）与厄洛斯（Eros）。宙斯与雅典娜居于最内侧，他们构成了东向檐壁的视觉中心：此处共有五名人物正参与一项仪式，即雅典娜圣袍（peplos）的敬献仪式——将圣袍敬献至雅典娜波利亚斯（Athena Polias）雕像前，正是泛雅典娜节（Panathenaic festival）的高潮环节。 第三饰块（Block III）展现了列队缓步前行的少女。所有少女均身着束腰外衣与外袍。其中五名少女手持水罐，用于举行宗教祭酒仪式。在她们前方，有两对少女两两协作，各持一件造型奇特的喇叭状器物——这类器物通常被认为是焚香支架。两件器物中的第一件顶部设有大型销孔。队伍最前方的一对少女则安静伫立，空手待命。 游行队伍的前方站有一群男性（该部分延续至第四饰块Block IV），他们身披简约的斗篷。本饰块中的两名男性正在交谈，他们被认为是英雄或市政显贵，或许是即将主持仪式的行政长官。右侧人物脚部的残片现收藏于雅典卫城博物馆（Acropolis Museum）。