-Æ, (Stephanus); Caryæ, -arum, (Pau-panias); a town of Laconia, between Sparta and the borders of Messenia; where stood a temple of Diana, thence called Caryatis, -idis; whose annual festival, called Carya, -orum, was celebrated by Spartan virgins with dances. An inhabitant, Caryater, and Caryatis, Caryatis apis, a Laconian bee, (Stephanus).

CARYÆ, -arum, in Ancient Geography, a place in Arcadia, towards the borders of Laconia. Whether from this of Arcadia, or that of Laconia, the columnæ caryatides of Vitruvius and Pliny (which were statues of matrons in stoles or long robes) took the appellation, is disputed.

CARYTES, in antiquity, a festival in honour of Diana named Caryatis, held at Caryum, a city of Laconia. The chief ceremony was a certain dance said to have been invented by Castor and Pollux, and performed by the virgins of the place. During Xerxes' invasion, the Laconians not daring to appear and celebrate the customary solemnity, to prevent incurring the anger of the goddess by such an intermission, the neighbouring swains are said to have assembled and sung pastoral or bucolic, which is said to have been the origin of bucolic poetry.