T H E K A R Y A T I D S

THE BASICS date from (c BC). their sculptor was probably Alkamenes, a student of Pheidias. made from Pentelic marble. they stand at 2.31m tall. slightly larger than life (heroic) size.

THE STORY OF THE KARYATIDS a Roman writer (Vitruvius) says the name comes from Carya where women danced with baskets on their heads. Carya joined the Persians in their war against the Greeks. in return for their treachery, the Greeks … –destroyed Carya, –killed all the men, –enslaved all the women. in order that their punishment be remembered, the Greeks portrayed these women as suffering under a heavy burden for the crime Carya committed.

OR …… perhaps they are just commonly used architecture features (columns) like in the Siphnian Treasury at Delphi. they provided the function of a column through a number of ways: –hair is bunched at the neck to provide extra support. –strongly built with tresses to strengthen the neck. –drapery covered the feet of the Karyatids to make the base thicker. –fluting of the drapery reflect the fluting of the Parthenon’s columns. the Roman emperor, Hadrian, had similar statues at his villa at Tivoli.

WHERE ??? the small south porch of the Erechtheion had six female figures acting as columns to support the roof. there were four in the front and one each behind in the corner on each side wall.

the Karyatids resemble some of the maidens from the Parthenon frieze. the porch was probably used for a religious activity – remember that the Erechtheion housed many different shrines in one building. it is suggested that this ritual may have concerned the peplos which was gifted to the cult statue of Athena Polias.

they are static figures who stand fully frontal. the knee closest to the middle of the porch is bent. the poses are very similar but with minor differences for each maiden.

THE MAIDENS DRESS all wear a peplos. are similarly arranged. a heavy pouch. over-fall concealing the belt, their fluted is broken by the knee nearest the centre. the folds are varied and deeply cut. breasts and knee are revealed by transparent material.

THE HAIR is similar to the hair portrayed in archaic sculptures. is elaborately braided at the back. each piece is individual. hair hangs down the back and falls over the shoulders.

the left hand held some of the drapery, drawing it to one side. judging from Roman copies, the right hand would have held a shallow bowl.