Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
520–500 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.1.2833
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece during the late Archaic period (520–500 BCE). Produced Athens, the heart of ancient Greek pottery innovation, kylikes like this were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine mixed with water, and engaged in philosophical debates, poetry, and entertainment. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of Attic vase-makers, whose works were prized across the Mediterranean and beyond. Terracotta, fired clay, was the medium of choice ...