Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
490–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
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
2011.604.1.2606
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, a shallow drinking cup with two handles popular in ancient Greece, dates to the Late Archaic (490–480 BCE Crafted in Attic style from the region around Athens, it exemplifies the exquisite pottery that defined Greek artistic production during a time of cultural flourishing just before the Classical era and the Persian Wars. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a glimpse into the daily elegance of Athenian life, where such vessels were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings blending wine, conversation, and philosophy. Attic vases like this ...