Caryatid, << kar ee AT ihd, >> is a column in the form of a female figure found in ancient Greek architecture. These figures usually wore long garments hanging in folds that somewhat resembled the fluting of conventional columns.
Caryatids, though decorative, also supported part of a building. A famous group of caryatids holds up the south porch of the Erechtheum on the Acropolis in Athens. Caryatids rarely appeared in architecture during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. They became popular again during the 1800’s with the emergence of the Greek Revival style of architecture.
The name caryatid comes from the ancient Greek city of Carya and means women of Carya. The Greeks attacked the city and captured the women, keeping them as slaves. The name may also refer to the postures used by folk dancers at the annual ancient Greek festival dedicated to the god Artemis Caryatis.
