A caryatid (/ ˌkɛəriˈætɪd, ˌkær -/ 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 supporting an entablature on her head.

caryatid, in classical architecture, draped female figure used instead of a column as a support.

The term Karyatids has been handed down to us by Vitruvius who tells the story of the women from Karyes in Laconia in the Peloponnese that were punished by the other Greeks and were thus obliged to carry on their heads the weight of their clothes and jewellery as …

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 are found in the south porch of the Erechtheion on the acropolis of Athens, the originals of which are now in the city 's Acropolis Museum.

Aug 23, 2019 · Part figurative female sculpture and part architectural element, the caryatid has helped creatively carry the weight of buildings for thousands of years. While they proved particularly popular in Ancient Greece—their place of origin—they continue to blur the line between art and architecture today. What is a Caryatid?

Feb 10, 2024 · Among its many notable features, the Caryatids —sculpted female figures that take the place of traditional columns—hold a special place in the annals of classical art and architecture.

Aug 5, 2020 · Caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as architectural support in the place of a column or a pillar. Its purpose in architecture is mainly decorative. The most famous Caryatids are the ones of Erechtheion on Acropolis Hill, Athens. Let’s find out more about these fascinating “Maidens”! Hello, I am Caryatid!

These graceful female figures replace columns—how did human form and architecture relate in ancient Greece? Caryatid (South Porch) and Ionic Column (North Porch), Erechtheion on the Acropolis, Athens, marble, 421-407 B.C.E., Classical Period (British Museum, London). Mnesicles may have been the architect.

Oct 24, 2020 · At the south porch, which was the most well-known, the roof was supported by six statues of maidens known as the Caryatids, instead of the typical columns. Below it stood the grave of Kekrops, another legendary King of Athens.

The meaning of the Karyatids on the South portico of the Erechtheion: What did they represent for the ancient Athenian viewer? The Erechtheion is one of the most important yet enigmatic temples on the Acropolis, constructed between 430 and 406 BCE as …