Britannica Sources used in this answer

What scenes were shown on the east pediment of the Parthenon?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The Parthenon temple in Athens, Greece, is illuminated at night, showing its iconic Doric columns and partially ruined structure atop the Acropolis. — Parthenon Night view of the Parthenon, Athens.

The east pediment of the Parthenon featured sculptures depicting the birth of the goddess Athena.12

While much of the original sculpture has been lost or removed, the remaining figures on the east pediment serve as witnesses to this mythological event. Notably, the right side of the pediment contains a group of three female figures—likely goddesses—seated together, with one figure resting against the lap of another. These sculptures are characterized by their swirling fabric and increasingly reclined positions, which were designed to fit the narrow, triangular space of the pediment.1