Melina Caryatid holding Acropolis

This bead is an exact replica, made under license, of the head of one of the six figures of the Caryatid Porch of the Erechtheion on the Acropolis in Athens. A caryatid is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. There are only five figures back at the Acropolis when one of the ladies was removed by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century, is now in the British Museum in London. In addition to being very beautiful and having a major impact on the architecture over time, the ladies also have a symbolic meaning. The word Caryatid is also used on Artemis, goddess of hunting, the forest and the animals. She is the daughter of Zeus and Leto and also takes care of childbirth, virginity and fertility. So Caryatid is also seen as a symbol of womanhood and feminine strength.