Terracotta fragment of a column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)
Unknown Artist
460–440 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Dietrich von Bothmer, Distinguished Research Curator, Greek and Roman Art, 2011
Accession Number
2011.604.2.580
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a column-krater, dating to 460–440 BCE, offers a glimpse into the vibrant of Classical Attic Greece. Column-kraters were essential vessels in ancient symposia—social gatherings where elite men mixed wine with water for communal drinking. Produced in Athens, the cultural and artistic heart of the period, these wide-mouthed bowls with distinctive column-shaped handles exemplified the pinnacle of Greek pottery craftsmanship during the Classical era, a time of democratic flourishing and monumental art like the Parthenon. Though only a fragment survives, it highlights...