Mitchell, Lucy M.: A history of ancient sculpture (New York, 1883)

CARYATIDS OF THE ERECHTHEION. 369

up on the Acropolis, which contain names of workmen, whence they came, the
objects they executed, and the pay they received. In their fragmentary condi-
tion the inscriptions read about as follows : "There were paid in the 7thprytany

to------, who lives in Collytos, for chariot and two mules, ninety drachms (about

eighteen dollars); to Agathanor, who lives in Alopeke, for the woman by the

chariot and both mules,------; for the boy who holds the spear, sixty drachms

(twelve dollars); to Phyromachos, the Kephisian, for the youth by the armor,
sixty drachms (twelve dollars); to Praxias, who lives in Melite, for the horse, and
one appearing behind him, rearing, one hundred and twenty drachms (twenty-
four dollars); to Antiphanes, the Kerarhite, for the chariot, and two horses
attached to it, and youth, two hundred and forty drachms; to Phyromachos, the
Kephisian, for him who leads a horse, sixty drachms; to Myrion, who lives in
Argyle, for the horse, and man striking him, and the stele added later, one
hundred and twenty-seven drachms ; to Soclos, who lives in Alopeke, for the
holder of the bridle, sixty drachms ; to Phyromachos, the Kephisian, for the
man leaning on his staff, and standing by the altar, sixty drachms ; to lasos,
the Collytian, for the woman before whom a girl has thrown herself, eighty
drachms, — the whole sum of the sculptures in this prytany, thirty-three hun-
dred and fifteen drachms." From this informal, simple record, we see that the
subjects of this frieze of the Erechtheion, calling to mind the riders and chariots
of the Parthenon, could not have been of a mythic character: the figures are
mentioned simply as man, youth, woman, and maiden. That these scenes were
connected with worship, is indicated by the altar mentioned. It is evident, also,
from the inscriptions, that both citizens and aliens were engaged as workmen
on these friezes; but among high artists they evidently could not have been
reckoned. As we look at the fragments,6S5 even in their ruin we are astonished
at their harmonious beauty, and brought to realize how artistic skill seems to
have been in the common air of Attica at this glorious time. Among these
fragments is an exquisite seated figure, in which we hardly know whether to
admire more the execution of the nude, or the grace and dignity of the drapery.
But, unhappily, these reliefs were not chiselled in the usual manner out of a
solid block : the figures were first cut in a coarse variety of Attic marble, and
then fastened one by one on to a background of dark Eleusinian stone, with
bronze nails, some of which are still in the fragments of the architrave, — a
mode of working which has hastened destruction.

Happily, this frieze does not comprise all the preserved sculptures of the
Erechtheion. At one end stood an airy portico, supported by six figures, repre-
senting, according to the inscription, al Kopax (the maidens).686 Three of these
have stood faithful to their duty down to the present day; the fourth was
knocked over during the Venetian bombardment, but was re-adjusted in 1846;
the fifth was likewise found prostrate, and restored in 1837 ; and the sixth was
removed by Lord Elgin to London. In its place now stands a cast from the