THE PANATHENAEA FEAST

Every year ancient Athenians celebrated the Mikra Panathenaea, and every four years they celebrated the Megala Panathenaea, which was even more magnificent. This festival included contests in equestrian skill, athletics, music and other arts. On the last day a procession started from Kerameikos, passed through the Agora and climbed to the Acropolis to offer Athena her so called peplos (vestment). It was customary in those days to dress statues in real clothes. Therefore, the peplos of the goddess was in fact a real woolen dress which was hand-woven by a priestess and young virgin girls who helped her. It was placed as a sail on the mast of a big wooden vessel and was brought to the Acropolis. The whole procession followed the ship. This is the procession sculpted on the frieze of the Parthenon.