Reconstruction of the East Pediment of the Parthenon at the Acropolis Museum
The east pediment sculptures depict the birth of the Goddess Athena. Zeus, the god of the sky and ruler of the gods, began to suffer with a terrible headache which grew progressively worse. The other gods asked Zeus' son Hephaestus, blacksmith of the gods, if he would try to cure Zeus' headache. Hephaestus hurled his ax into Zeus' skull and split his head open. This did not hurt Zeus because he is immortal. Athena leapt out of Zeus' head fully grown and completely armored. The only one of the Olympians who was not afraid and understood the importance of this birth was the Goddess of Victory, Nike. She came forward to crown Athena with a laurel wreath, symbol of victory.