With a gesture, an atholetes or games steward provides the link between the north and east sides of the frieze. The procession continues.
On the east side the two sections of the procession come together. Only here are women shown participating.
They move toward the center bringing vessels for the sacrifice. Here we see them holding shallow bowls (phialai), jugs (oinochoai), and incense-burners (thymiateria).
The middle of the scene shows the presentation of the peplos and the Olympian divinites, who are seated, their godly nature declared by their relative size. Between the divinities and the procession stand the eponymous heroes of Attica, the mythical ancestors of the Athenians, six to the left of the divinities.
Hermes, the messenger-god, holds his petassos upon his knees. In his right hand was his herald's staff, the kerykeion. Next to him, Dionysos, the god of wine, holds a thyrsos (a wooden staff wound round with ivy and vine leaves.)
Then comes Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, with her torch, and Ares, the god of war, with his javelin.
Zeus, father of gods and mortals, sits upon a throne and holds is sceptre; beside him, his wife, Hera. Iris, female messenger of the gods, stands behind Zeus in attendance.
The center of the scene shows the most important moment of the Panathenaic procession: the presenting of the peplos, the gift of the Athenians to their patron goddess. The peplos is held by the priest and a little boy. A female figure turns toward two smaller female figures bringing two stools, the diphroi.
Athena sits next to the peplos. On her knees she holds the aigis, an apotropaic goatskin; in her right hand is her spear. Next to her sits Hephaistos, god of fire and metallurgy, leaning on his club.
The row continues with Poseidon, god of the sea, holding his trident, Apollo, god of light and music, crowned, a laurel branch in his hand, Artemis, his huntress-sister, with her bow, and Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, her son, Eros, close beside her holding a parasol.
Between the divinities and the procession stand the eponymous heroes of Attica, the mythical ancestors of the Athenians, four to the right of the divinities.
At this point we meet the other section of the procession. This started at the west end and continues along the north side to arrive at the east end. Only here are women shown participating.
Women carrying the sacred sacrificial vessels are proceeding. Two of them have just given the basket for the sacrifice to an atholetes.
Some of the women carry thymiateria, oinochoai, and phialai.
