Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
ca. 500 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
Height: 13 7/16 in. (34.2 cm) Diameter: 10 13/16 in. (27.5 cm) Width (with handles): 13 1/8 in. (33.3 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Edward C. Moore Collection, Bequest of Edward C. Moore, 1891
Accession Number
91.1.462
Tags
Art Historical Context
This terracotta column-krater, created around 500 BCE in Athens during the Late Archaic period, served a central role in Greek social life as a vessel for mixing wine and water at symposia. Standing just over 13 inches tall, its sturdy form with distinctive columnar handles reflects the practical yet elegant design favored by Attic potters. Such kraters were not merely utilitarian; they often took pride of place in gatherings where conversation, poetry, and ritual drinking intertwined. Attributed to the Göttingen Painter, the vase exemplifies the transition in Attic ceramics from black-figure...