Gardners Art through the Ages A Global History

5-53), built to the north of the old temple’s remains, was, however,
to be a multiple shrine. It honored Athena and housed the ancient
wooden image of the goddess that was the goal of the Panathenaic
Festival procession. But it also incorporated shrines to a host of
other gods and demigods who loomed large in the city’s legendary
past. Among these were Erechtheus, an early king of Athens, during
whose reign the ancient wooden idol of Athena was said to have
fallen from the heavens, and Kekrops, another king of Athens, who
served as judge of the contest between Athena and Poseidon. In fact,
the site chosen for the new temple was the very spot where that con-
test occurred. Poseidon had staked his claim to Athens by striking
the Acropolis rock with his trident and producing a salt-water
spring. The imprint of his trident remained for Athenians of the his-
torical period to see. Nearby, Athena had miraculously caused an
olive tree to grow. This tree still stood as a constant reminder of her
victory over Poseidon.
The asymmetrical plan (FIG. 5-53) of the Ionic Erechtheion is
unique for a Greek temple and the antithesis of the simple and har-
moniously balanced plan of the Doric Parthenon across the way. Its
irregular form reflected the need to incorporate the tomb of Kekrops
and other preexisting shrines, the trident mark, and the olive tree
into a single complex. The unknown architect responsible for the
building also had to struggle with the problem of uneven terrain.
The area could not be made level by terracing because that would
disturb the ancient sacred sites. As a result, the Erechtheion has four
sides of very different character, and each side rests on a different
ground level.
Perhaps to compensate for the awkward character of the build-
ing as a whole, the architect took great care with the Erechtheion’s
decorative details. The frieze, for example, was given special treat-

ment. The stone chosen was the dark-blue limestone of Eleusis to

contrast with the white Pentelic marble of the walls and columns

and the marble relief figures attached to the dark frieze. But the tem-

ple’s most striking and famous feature is its south porch, where cary-

132 Chapter 5 ANCIENT GREECE

5-53Plan of the Erechtheion, Acropolis, Athens, Greece,
ca. 421–405 bce.

The asymmetrical form of the Erechtheion is unique for a Greek temple.
It reflects the need to incorporate preexisting shrines into the plan,
including those of the kings Erechtheus and Kekrops.

N

0 10 20 30 40 5 0 feet

0 5110 5 meters

Shrine housing wooden image of Athena

Athena’s olive tree

Poseidon’s trident mark

Ruins of Archaic temple

1.

2.

3.

4.

3

2

4

1

5-54Caryatid from the south porch of the Erechtheion, Acropolis,

Athens, Greece, ca. 421–405 bce.Marble, 7 7 high. British Museum,

London.

The south porch of the Erechtheion features caryatids, updated Classical

versions with contrapposto stances of the Archaic caryatids of the porch

of the Siphnian Treasury (FIG. 5-18) at Delphi.

1 ft.