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1975 Review of The Parthenon Frieze, by Martin Robertson and Alison Frantz Brunilde S. Ridgway Bryn Mawr College, [email protected]

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Custom Citation Ridgway, Brunilde S. Review of The Parthenon Frieze, by Martin Robertson and Alison Frantz. Archaeology 28 (1975): 277.

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For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ARCHAEOLOGIST'S BOOKSHELF

The Parthenon Frieze Carrey's drawi ngs but corrected and beautiful head of Iris, East V, 28 are by MARTIN ROBERTSON and ALISON FRANTZ modernized for the occasion. Fourteen mi ssin g. The book therefore falls short of 16 pages, 48 photographs, bibliography. stupendous details complete the its cl aim that "this is the on ly modern OXFORD UN IVERSITY PRESS. New York 1975 photographic commentary. monograph which gives it (i.e., the $9.50 Though the book will long be a Parthenon frieze) complete" (page 3) pleasure to both scholars and laymen, its BRU NILDE SISMO NDO RID GWAY typographical layout deserves some Bryn Mawr Co llege When Martin Robertson writes the text criticism. One suspects that Miss Frantz's and Alison Frantz takes the photographs, photographs did not print as sharply as any book is bound to be a success, but they could have and more care could Radiocarbon and Indian this is especia lly the case for The have been taken in preventing th e Archaeology Parthenon Frieze. As the author poi nts bisection of fig ures at the join between edited by D. P. AGRAWAL and A GHOSH out, publications on the subject are two pages. In addition, as traditional , 526 pages, 27 plates, 75 text figures, 8 usually incomplete, or, if complete, early each slab is identified by Roman maps, 32 tables. TATA IN STITUTE OF and rare, the format large and the pictures numerals and each figure within the FUN DA MEN TAL RESEARCH. Bom bay, India small and unclear. Now there is a thin, slab is assigned an Arabic serial num ber, 1973 $10.00 manageable volume largely devoted to but even spacing of such nu mbers has the illustrations, with a concise but recei ved precedence over the need fo r original and lucid text. Introductory clarity, so that it is often difficult to connect This commemorative volume pays due comments focus on the historical identifying number and respecti ve figure homage to D. La l who set up India's first background ; fifth-century Athens; the (e.g., East III, 7-8). In some cases, Radiocarbon Laborato ry and to the Tata predecessors of the Parthenon; the repetition not only of photographs but Institute and its venerable fou nder Homi statue of the Parthenos and its even of drawings endangers Bhaba. Tata Institute and its Radiocarbon relationship to the building; the comprehension (e.g., South XXXII, given Laboratory have been in the vanguard of organization, subject, posi tion and twice in consecutive pages), whi Ie in at scientific archaeological research in appearance of the frieze and its place in least one instance an important outline (if Ind ia for the past decade, and an architectura l sculpture, as well as its not the composite cast in the Akropolis international symposi um was convened in influence on later monuments; Pheidias' museum) has been omitted (East VI, 41 , March, 1972 to com memo rate the tenth share in the decorative program of the Aphrodite and Eros). One can perhaps anniversary of the laboratory's founding. Parthenon, and the bui lding's history after understand that no photographs of casts This volume contains the papers 432 B.C. Individual perceptive remarks were included, even if the original figure s delivered at the symposium and is the accompany ill ustrations of the frieze are now irreparab ly damaged, but some single most important book to appear on slabs themselves, which are printed in a fragments actual ly preserved in the the archaeology of South Asia in recent continuous sequence from the South to Acropoli s Museum have been left out. To years. A few of the major papers were the East, North and West side. Where name but a few examples: South XXI, the given by Western scholars, but the real portions of the reliefs are lost, they are heads of 51 and 52; North IX, the head s of im portance of the volume is that it replaced by outlines largely based on 31 and 32; and, most regrettably, th e presents a current, comprehensive statement of what all the leading Indian archaeologists are doing and thinking. THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE'S Thus the book is real ly a commemorative TOUR PROGRAM to Indian archaeologists as a whole and to ETRUSCAN, ROMAN AND GREEK ITALY their remarkable capacities for 22 days in late Spring 1976 (membership limited) pioneering research in the face of what to Larissa Bonfante Warren of New York University will be your guide to Latium, Tus­ Western eyes seems like in surmountable cany, Campagnia, and Sicily. problems. The reviewer offers special First Class accommodations throughout. Price: To be announced. appreci ation to the editors of the volume, D. P Agrawal, who, until recently, was EGYPT AND THE LEVANT October 1976 (membership limited) head of Tata In stitute's excellent This deluxe tour includes a 4 day cruise on the Nile, visits Beirut, Baalbek, Tyre and Radiocarbon Laboratory, and A. Ghosh, Sidon, Latakia, Aleppo, Palmyra, Damascus, Amman , Jerash and Petra. Our own ar­ the former Director-General of the chaeological expert will be your guide. Archaeologica l Survey, whose own Deluxe accommodations. Price: To be announced. research has set the standard for so many ALL TOURS ARE FULLY ESCORTED. FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Tours, others. The Archaeologicallnslitule of America, 260 West Broadway, N.Y.C. 10013 There is so much new and valuable (212925-7333) or Shirley Hulsart, Bellinger Davis Travel, 75 East 55th, N.Y.C. 10022 (212 PL 9-1590) materia l in thi s volume that a comprehensive re view would be as long

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