Information about metope (architecture)

Metope from the Parthenon marbles depicting part of the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapiths.

In classical architecture, a metope is a rectangular architectural element that fills the space between two triglyphs in a Doric frieze, which is a decorative band of alternating triglyphs and metopes above the architrave of a building of the Doric order. Metopes often had painted or sculptural decoration; the most famous example is the 92 metopes of the frieze of the Parthenon marbles depicting the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapiths. The painting on most metopes has been lost, but sufficient traces remain to allow a close idea of their original appearance.

In terms of structure, metopes may be carved from a single block with a triglyph (or triglyphs), or they may be cut separately and slide into slots in the triglyph blocks as at the Temple of Aphaea. Although they tend to be close to square in shape, some metopes are noticeably larger in height or in width. They may also vary in width within a single structure to allow for corner contraction, an adjustment of the column spacing and arrangement of the Doric frieze in a temple to make the design appear more harmonious.

Images of metopes

A metope (L) and triglyph (R) cut from one block from Stratos.	Triglyph blocks with slots for the insertion of metopes in the Marmaria at Delphi.	Metopes made from marble slotted into the frieze of the Stoa at Brauron.	Metopes with sculptural decoration in the Doric frieze of the Treasury of the Athenians at Delphi.
Frieze fo the Temple of Aphaea with triglyphs slotted for metopes.	The entablature of the Hephaisteion (temple of Hephaistos) in Athens, showing Doric frieze with sculpted metopes.

References

Robertson, D. S. (1929) Handbook of Greek and Roman Architecture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

The term Classical Architecture has a specific archaeological meaning, relating to the architecture of Classical Greece. However the term is used by architectural historians to refer to a number of styles derived, directly or loosely, from this source.
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Triglyph is an architectural term for the vertically channeled tablets of the Doric frieze, so called because of the angular channels in them, two perfect and one divided, the two chamfered angles or hemiglyphs being reckoned as one.
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The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of Ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.
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architrave (also called epistyle) is the lintel or beam that rests on the capitals of the columns. As such, it is the lowest part of the entablature consisting of architrave, frieze and cornice.
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Elgin Marbles (IPA: /'ɛl gən/), also called the Parthenon Marbles, are a collection of marble sculptures that originally decorated the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens.
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Centaur

A bronze statue of a centaur,
after the Younger Centaur.
Creature

Name: Centaur
AKA: Centaurus
Classification
Grouping: Legendary creature
Sub grouping: Hybrid
Similar creatures: Minotaur, satyr, harpy
Data
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Lapiths were a legendary people, whose home was in Thessaly on the mountain Pelion. Like the Myrmidons and other Thessalian tribes, the Lapiths were pre-Hellenic in their origins.
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Location

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Location

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Location

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classical order is one of the ancient styles of building design in the Classical tradition, distinguished by their proportions and their characteristic profiles and details, but most quickly recognizable by the type of column and capital employed.
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Metope (architecture)

Images of metopes

See also

References