The New International Encyclopædia/Atlantes

ATLANTES, ăt-lăn′tēz (Gk. nom. pl. Ἄτλαντες; see Atlas.) Carved male figures used in architecture as supports to cornices, architraves, etc. They correspond to the female Caryatides, but were not so popular in Greek art. Examples are in the temple at Girgenti, the theatre at Athens, in minor parts of Mediæval decorative work, and especially, on a large scale, in late Renaissance buildings.