The South Metope IX of the Parthenon Marbles located in the British Museum originates from the classical era of Periclean Athens. This piece is a component of the series of marble sculptures collectively known as the Parthenon Marbles. It was initially installed as a metope, a rectangular decorative panel, on the southern facade of the Parthenon and currently serves as an artifact that signifies Greek art and mythology.
Created from high-quality white Pentelic marble, this metope measures around 1.25 meters in width and height, and 0.30 meters in depth. The relief showcases a scene from the mythical battle, the Centauromachy. The event involved the Centaurs, mythological creatures with a man's upper body and a horse's lower body, and the Lapiths, a distinguished Greek race.
Despited the fragmented condition, the metope's battle scene remains intense. The sculpted marble features a Centaur in rear and a fallen Lapith still in combat, contrasting brute force with noble might. Notable details such as muscular tension, draped clothing, and combat stress are skillfully illustrated, enhancing the dynamism and depth of the static medium.
This notable art piece is dated back to 447-432 BC, during the high Classical period of ancient Greece. The creation is credited to the Athenian sculptor Pheidias and his apprentices. The theme of Centauromachy in the Parthenon's metopes was likely selected to symbolize rational triumph over disorder, reflecting Athenian democracy and its citizens' courage.
The artifact also bears the marks of historical turbulence. With the conversion of the Parthenon into a church during the early Christian periods, many metopes were destroyed or damaged, and this piece carries significant surface impairment and signs of weathering.
