Women Standing for 2,400 Years: The Erechtheion

The Erechtheion is one of the Ancient Greek temples built in Athens, Greece between 421 and 406 BC. Built on the ruins of two ancient temples in the last two decades of the 5th century BC, the temple is located in the northern part of the Acropolis.

It was named after Poseidon Erechtheus, a local name for the god Poseidon.

This temple is known for its columns with female statues and they are called Caryatids. Caryatid is the name given to the Caryai young girls. The representations used as columns are thought to represent Carian women who had to undertake all the work while waiting for their husbands who participated in the war.

The caryatids here are copies and five of the originals are exhibited in the Acropolis Museum and one in the British Museum.