has  stained  the  once  painted  marble.  When  new  frag-
ments are  dug  up  in  modern  excavations,  the  traces  of
bright  color,  green,  blue,  gold,  red,  are  usually  there.
As  regards  the  sculpture,  which  consist  of  pediments
(gable  groups),  the  frieze  (cornice)  along  the  main
wall,  and  metopes  (originally  plaques  to  stop  the  holes
between  the  ends  of  the  roof  beams),  they  are  so  well
known  that  they  need  not  here  be  described,  especially
as  they  fill  the  principal  chapter  in  every  work  on  Greek
art.
Not  less  perfect  than  the  Parthenon  is  the  far  smaller,
but  even  richer  Erechtheum,  where  the  pillars  with  their
inward  trend  are  most  gracefully  replaced  by  Caryatides,
women  with  sacred  baskets  upon  their  heads,  who  rest
each  upon  the  foot  nearest  the  center,  thus  producing
the  effect  intended  by  a  mere  natural  pose.
