A square space between triglyphs in a Doric frieze.
- Sansovino could have designed a rusticated flat arch for the herms to carry, or even a simple Tuscan entablature without metopes and triglyphs, but instead he chose the Doric.
- In the Doric frieze above, six of the roundels decorating the metopes display figural reliefs that are very hard to decipher in the gloom into which the door is plunged by the barrel vault above.
- Like the pediments, the metopes include local elements and offered a model of heroic behavior to the ancient viewer, especially to Olympic athletes.
Mid 16th century: via Latin from Greek metopē, from meta 'between' + opē 'hole for a beam end'.
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