Caryatis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Carya.
In ancient Greek religion Artemis Caryatis[1] was an epithet of Artemis that was derived from the city of Karyae in Laconia; there an archaic open-air temenos was dedicated to Carya, the Lady of the Nut-Tree, whose priestesses were called the caryatidai. Carya was a virgin who had been transformed into a nit-tree for her unchastity (with Dionysus) or to prevent her rape.[2]The particular form of veneration of Artemis at Caryae suggests that in pre-classical ritual Carya was goddess of the nut tree who was later assimilated into the Olympian goddess Artemis. Pausanias noted that each year women performed a dance called the caryatis at a festival in honor of Artemis Caryatis called the Caryateia.[3]
