metope

thumb|Metope from the Elgin Marbles|Parthenon marbles depicting part of the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapiths; 442–438 BC; marble; height: 1.06 m; [[British Museum (London)]]

A metope (; ) is a rectangular architectural element of the Doric order, filling the space between triglyphs in a frieze, a decorative band above an architrave. In earlier wooden buildings the spaces between triglyphs were first open, and later the free spaces in between triglyphs were closed with metopes; however, metopes are not load-bearing part of a building. Earlier metopes are plain, but later metopes were painted or ornamented with reliefs. The painting on most metopes has been lost, but sufficient traces remain to allow a close idea of their original appearance.