Caryatids: Walnut Tree Women

The Greeks wished to represent their vivid mythological and epic tradition by an equally vivid narrative art; they found the inspiration for their ideals in human figure. Early Doric temple construction was surely wooden, as the triglyphs and metops indicate, it is but a step to carve the support columns into the nymphs of the deity worshipped within. The Caryatids: standing figures of maidens taking the place of columns to support the entablature of a porch.

The classic examples is the 'Caryatid Porch' of the Erechtheum, built between 421 and 409 BC. The Erechtheum, Temple of Athena Polias and Poseidon-Erechtheus on the Acropolis of Athens, consists of a rectangular building with porches at different levels on three sides; the South porch is supported by six figures of maidens, admirably suited by their classical severity to the role they perform. In 1802, Lord Elgin removed one, which has now been re-cast in portland cement and replaced. Today they are rapidly deteriorating due to the proliferation of toxic/acid atmospheric conditions.

In Pliny's 'Natural History,' Carya, daughter of a Laconian king, was beloved of Dionysus, but died suddenly at Caryae, and was metamorphosed by him into a walnut-tree. Artemis brought the news to the Laconians, who thereupon built a temple to Artemis-Caryatis, from which Caryatids take their name.

Pansanias reports, in Virgil's 'Eclogues', that the myths are told to account for the festal use of almonds and walnuts, in honor of Car, or Carya, otherwise known as Metis, the Titaness of Wisdom. The classic use of Caryatids was deduced from an icon which showed a young poet worshipping a nut-tree in the goddess's presence, while nine young women performed a round dance. In the early tree-alphabet, the letter C (for Car) is expressed as the number nine. The trees overhung a stream in Arcadia, reported by Pausanias to contain fish which sang, so the poetic nature is associated with the caryatids. The goddess Car, who gave her name to Caria, became the Italian divinatory goddess Carmenta, Car-the-wise, and the Caryatids are her nut-nymphs, the Dryads, oak-nymphs and Meliae are ash-nymphs. It is also interesting to note that fire was first captured from lightning struck trees, of which the nut-tree is highly prone. Phyllis is linked with Carya, in the classic myth of fire acquisition; his caresses of the metamorphosed Carya caused her branches to burst into flame, instead of flower.

These three Ven-Caryatids carry forward a tradition towards the lyric. Numbers 25, 26 and 27 are a continuation of the Ven series; they are created in the triangular format, to be placed on similar bases 22 inches high so that the Capital Hair-dos are just above eye level. They should stand in a linear configuration and are suited to the out-of-doors, being weather-proof. For safety and security, have the inside surface coated with epoxy resin and Fiberglassed, at this time have the two sections permanently joined.