Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
490–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
Height: 2 in. (5.1 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late Archaic
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
2011.604.1.2408
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment from alix, or drinking cup, dates to 490–480, the Late Archaic period in Attic Greece. Standing just 2 inches (5.1 cm) tall, it survives from a time when Athens was a thriving cultural hub, on the cusp of the Classical era and amid the Persian Wars. Attic potters were renowned for their technical prowess, firing clay into durable vessels that served both practical and artistic purposes in everyday symposia—lively social gatherings where wine flowed and stories were shared. Kylikes like this one were wide, shallow cups designed for easy handling while reclinin...