The Phigaleian Room, to the north of the Elgin Room, contains the frieze, etc., from the Temple of Apollo Epikourios ('the Helper') at Bassï¾µ, near Phigaleia, in Arcadia. The temple was built by Iktinos about 430 B.C.
The frieze was placed inside the cella, not outside the building as usual. 520-530 (on the west wall), Battle of Centaurs and Lapiths; 531-542 (on the other walls), Battle of Greeks and Amazons; 510-519 (above, on the south wall), Fragments of the metopes; 543, 544 (north west corner), Fragments of the colossal Apollo.
Above the Phigaleian frieze on the west wall are slabs (and casts) from the frieze of the small Temple of Athene Nike ('Nike Apteros,' or Wingless Victory) on the Acropolis at Athens, with battles of Greeks (Athenians) with Greeks and with Persians, and a council of the gods.
The Stelï¾µ, or sepulchral reliefs, in this room, varying from simple headstones to somewhat elaborate sculptures, show, even though the workmanship is often poor and mechanical, that even the humblest Attic craftsman could hardly miss some beauty and grace of design. The family scenes have a quiet dignity and pathos scarcely to be surpassed, that place these common tombstones among the most impressive monuments of Greek civilization. Perhaps the best are the reliefs of Glykylla (2231), Archagora, Aristeis, and an Unknown Lady with a child and nurse (2232).
In the middle of the room: 680. Bull, probably from an Athenian monument; against the screen, Mourning Woman, a Greek work of the 4th century, used again and inscribed in Roman times (surface much corroded).
