ERECHTHEUM, E-rek-the'firn, the temple of Erechtheus (q.v.) on the north side of the Acropolis (q.v.) at Athens. It was built in honor of Athena, Poseidon and Zeus. The name of Erechtheus is associated, as a local hero or demigod, with that of Athena. In this temple was preserved the oldest existing statue of Athena, which was supposed to have fallen from heaven and the sacred olive-tree created by Athena as a gift to the city, of which she is worshipped at Athena Polias, the protector of the town and state. The building is one of the finest remaining examples of Greek archi tecture, having been rebuilt after the Pelopon nesian War in pure Ionic style after the original building had been destroyed. Its ground plan is unusual, resulting from the union under one roof of three separate chapels, or halls of wor ship. The porch of the caryatides is one of its distinguishing features. In this porch the place of columns is taken by colossal figures of women whose heads support the capitals on which the entablature rests. The Erechtheum was described in considerable detail by Pausanias. It is one of the best preserved build ings on the Acropolis, in spite of the hard usage to which it was put by the Turks and other invaders. In comparatively recent times it has been restored to some extent, not entirely with pleasing results. Consult Carroll, M., ed., 'The Attica of Pausanias' (New York 1907) ; Fer gusson, J., 'The Erechtheum' (in Transactions of the Royal Institute of British Architects, London 1875-76) ; Fowler, H. N., 'The
Erechtheion at Athens) (in Papers, Arche ological Institute of America, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, Vol. I, 1882-83, p. 213, Boston 1885) ; Frazer, J. G., trans., (Pausanias's Description of Greece' (6 vols., London 1898) ; Frickenhaus, A., and Washburn, 0. M., 'The Building Inscriptions of the Erechtheum' (in American Journal of Archeology, Ser. II, Vol. X, p. 1, Norwood 1906) ; Gale, E., 'The Erechtheum) (in Archi tectural Record, Vol. XII, p. 498, New York 1902) ; Gardner, E. A., 'Ancient Athens' (New York 1907) ; Inwood, H. W., 'The Erechtheion at Athens' (London 1827) ; Kolbe, W., 'Die Bauurkunde des Erechtheion vom Jahre 408' (in Kaiserlich-Deutsches Archeeologisches Insti tut, Mittheilungen, Athenische Abtheilung, Vol. XXVI, p. 223, Athens 1901) ; Leopold, J., 'Ober das Erechtheion) (Munich 1878) ; Quaest, A. F. von, 'Das Erechtheion zu Athen> (1840); Schultz, A. W., and Gardner, E. A., 'The North Doorway of the Erechtheum) (in Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. XII, p. 1, London 1891) ; Stevens, G. P., 'The Restoration of the (in Putnam's Monthly, Vol. I, p. 66, New York 1906) ; Stuart, J., and Revett, N., 'The Antiquities of Athens) (London 1837); Thiersch, F., das Erechtheum, etc.) (in Koniglich-Bayerische Akademie der Wissen schaften, Abhandlungen, Philosophisch-Phi lologische Klasse, Vols. V—VI, Munich 1849-52) ; Weller, C. H., 'Athens and its Monuments' (New York 1913).