A caryatid (/ ˌ k ɛər i ˈ æ t ɪ d, ˌ k ær-/ KAIR-ee-AT-id, KARR-; [1] Ancient Greek: Καρυᾶτις, romanized: Karuâtis; pl. Καρυάτιδες, Karuátides) [2] is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar …

Caryatid, in classical architecture, draped female figure used instead of a column as a support. In marble architecture they first appeared in pairs in three small buildings (treasuries) at Delphi (550–530 bc), and their origin can be traced back to mirror …

Oct 29, 2012 · Caryatid is the name given to an architectural column which takes the form of a standing female figure. The first examples come from ancient Greek architecture and indeed, the most celebrated examples...

Sep 20, 2024 · Five original Caryatids are now in the Acropolis Museum, but the sixth Caryatid was carted away by Lord Elgin back in 1802 when he made off with the rest of his spoils from the Acropolis, including the Elgin Marbles.

Dec 8, 2016 · — Jason Farago, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2020 The caryatid, which first came about in ancient Greece, is a carving of a standing woman used as a column to support an architectural structure.

Aug 23, 2019 · A caryatid is a sculpted female figure that also serves as a pillar, column, or other supportive architectural element. A traditional caryatid has a capital (the top of a column) on her head, though some also appear to be holding up the entablature (the decorated area above a column) with their arms.

Feb 9, 2024 · Caryatid is a term used to describe a sculpture of a female figure serving as a column and functioning architectural support. The use of the human form as a decorative or functional part of architecture has been seen in many ancient cultures.

Feb 10, 2024 · The term "Caryatid" is derived from the town of Karyai in the Peloponnese, where young women performed dances in honor of Artemis Karyatis, a local iteration of the goddess Artemis. These figures, with their elegant stances and meticulously carved drapery, showcase the ancient Greeks' mastery over marble, turning static architecture into a ...

The people of Eleusis worshipped the caryatid as an icon of Saint Demetra, and would cover it with flowers and garlands, [3] as they believed that the goddess was able to bring fertility to their fields and bless their crops.

The caryatid. The Erechtheion is perhaps the most complex building on the Acropolis. It houses shrines to several different deities, including Athena, Zeus and Poseidon. It is named for the mythic King Erechtheus who judged the contest between Athena and Poseidon for who would be the patron deity of Athens.