Caryatids are the female sculptures used in ancient Greek temples instead of columns to hold the entablature. The most famous of the Caryatids are the ones on the temple of Erechtheion in the Athenian Acropolis. The Caryatids of Erechtheion used to be six and were situated on a porch on the south side of the temple. Although they were of the same style and served the same purpose, each one of them has different, unique characteristics.
One of the Erechtheion Caryatids was removed along with the Parthenon sculptures by Lord Elgin in the beginning of the 19th century and was sold to the British Museum. The other five are currently exhibited in the new Museum of Acropolis, where they are being under (live) restoration process. Reproductions of them are standing in their place on the monument.