friezes

Friezes are broad horizontal bands of sculpted decoration that run along walls as part of the entablature in classical architecture. They lie between the architrave below and the cornice above. In Doric construction, friezes are typically subdivided into metopes and triglyphs, while in Ionic and Corinthian orders they are usually a continuous field of relief sculpture. Friezes can be plain or highly decorative, and may carry narrative scenes, mythological subjects, or geometric patterns.

Friezes often function as a visual sequence or procession around a building, and their content can range from monumental myths to civic or ritual imagery. They may be carved in low relief (bas-relief) or high relief, depending on the desired depth and prominence. Notable ancient examples include the Parthenon frieze, which portrays a Panathenaic procession, and the Roman Ara Pacis frieze, which presents a long continuous relief around the monument. In addition to temples, friezes appear on triumphal arches, city façades, and other public works, where they reinforce political or religious themes.

In later architectural styles, friezes continued to be employed in neoclassical and Beaux-Arts designs, as well as in revival movements, often to echo antique forms or to introduce inscriptions and decorative motifs. The concept of the frieze has influenced decorative bands in various media, including sculpture, painting, and architectural ornament, and remains a common element in the study of classical and modern architecture. Friezes thus encompass a range of forms—from plain bands to complex narrative reliefs—that articulate continuity, memory, and ornament on built surfaces.