Doric frieze

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July 16, 2026

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In Classical architecture, a Doric frieze is the middle section of an entablature, located above the architrave and below the cornice. It is characterized by alternating triglyphs (rectangular blocks with three vertical channels) and metopes (spaces that can be decorated with relief figures or motifs). The Doric order, named after the Dorian people of ancient Greece, is known for its massive and simple style. A notable example of a Doric frieze is the one on the Parthenon in Athens, which depicts a procession of the Panathenaic Festival.12

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ornament
The Doric frieze is a good case: its origin as an imitation of the effect of alternating beam ends and shuttered openings in archaic wood construction remained evident, but it came to be treated as a decorative sheath without reference to the actual structural forms behind.…
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The Doric frieze is a good case: its origin as an imitation of the effect of alternating beam ends and shuttered openings in archaic wood construction remained evident, but it came to be treated as a decorative sheath without reference to the actual structural forms behind.…
Read More