The Stolen Sister | The Caryatids #art #history #arthistory

The story of the six Caryatids centers on the Erechtheion, an ancient Greek temple on the Acropolis of Athens, dedicated to Athena and Poseidon. Built between 421 and 406 BCE, the Erechtheion is famous for its unique asymmetrical design and the Porch of the Caryatids, where six graceful female figures serve as architectural supports in place of traditional columns. These Caryatids symbolize strength and beauty and are believed to represent the women of Caryae, a city in Laconia that sided with the Persians during the Greco-Persian Wars.

Among the original six, five Caryatids remain at the Erechtheion, while the sixth was taken by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century and is now housed in the British Museum. This removal has sparked significant debate over cultural theft and the ethics of artifact ownership, with many advocating for the return of the Caryatid and other Parthenon Marbles to Greece. The Caryatids have become iconic figures, embodying both classical beauty and the ongoing discussions surrounding cultural heritage, colonialism, and the importance of repatriating artifacts to their rightful places.

[Jemppu]

I appreciate how they make it apparent on the display how one of the statues is missing, should anyone see it around 'somewhere' and connect the dots

[AdventurousInAlyssium]

They should make a movie called Night At The British Museum where all the artifacts from other countries come to life and escape back to where they came from.

[PlagueRatt]

The way the first museum left a spot for her, I love it and I hope she comes home.

[baila]

They look so dignified and proud together. Silent and strong. I hope their sister rejoins them one day, it would be cool to imagine her smiling.

[samissupercool]

legend has it the british museum is where all of swiper's swiped stuff goes

[cheetahcatgirl]

I half expected it to say 'Do you think they ever miss.. having arms?"

[DimitriGrace]

I find it funny how the legend of the six sisters matches the status. It’s said that they keep statues garded the acropolis and one tragic night one of the sisters was stolen. It was said that you could hear there cries and wails deep into the night, waiting for there sisters return. It’s a rather sad story and i love how there is still a spot free should she ever return

[eyaggelia]

In Greece we have a legend.... that if you go to Acropolis deep into the night you hear crying and wailing. And that this is the crying of them mourning the loss of their sister and awaiting her return

[MegsIsMe]

these really touched my heart strings. I love Greek mythology and things like the PJO series, plus others. I know someday they will be reunited. The happiness inside will be

[darlingash]

Bring her home.. she doesn’t deserve to be separated from her sisters for so long…

[justadummy]

This feels like a real world Easter Egg, like I’m gonna get an achievement or a secret dungeon will unlock if I move the statue back to where it belongs 😂

[Melmarsbar_xo]

As a British person, and it’s likely hundreds of others agree with me, if I was in charge I would GLADLY give it back to them, no matter if it brings in however many more people into the museum. It belongs with her sisters over there.

[Ragnarra]

It would be nice to see them restored to their former glory too if they were reunited as they were meant to be together.

[lexiconn]

I'm Greek and i think I can clear some things up.

Greece has a lot of debts but never tried to sell any historical monuments, especially from the Parthenon

We can sit here and argue whether the firman is illegal or not, and if elgin stole the marbles (he did, he took half), but what is fact is the irreparable damage he caused to the Parthenon "to facilitate transport by Elgin, the columns' capitals and many metopes and frieze slabs were either hacked off the main structure or sawn and sliced into smaller sections"

We have the facilities to house them, not just the Caryatid, and protect them, which is an argument used by the British to deny the requests from other countries for the return of their stolen artifacts.

Those "rocks" are our culture, they are incredible pieces of art, withstanding literal milenia. The abuse from foreign hands is nothing new. Let them come home, 212 years away is too long.

[KaterinaservantofYeshua]

There are many Greek poems written about the Cariatides morning every day for their stolen sister and how they hope to be reunited again some day in the future. Theirs also poems that have the lost sister longing to return home to her sisters and how unfamiliar and foreign everything is now that she is somewhere else. God bless 🙏🏼☦️

[airdavis]

The British "These foreigners are taking everything from us"

[SakuraSu-cv]

The fact that it matches the original legend perfectly, which was that one of the sisters were stolen, whom is the single statue in the British museum

[SamuKannan]

Of course its in British Museum. Where else it would be 🙄

[Persassy_Jackson_Obbsessed]

Im greek, and this breaks my heart. It really does. Its so sad to see one of them seperated and the british museum still not letting go. We. Need. Her. Back. These are incredible pieces of art, they should be in their home country. Something has to be done...

[joshkorte]

Remember, if someone stole your stuff, there's an 80% chance it's at the British Museum.