Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
first half of the 5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic/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
2011.604.1.2916
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece in the first half of the 5th century BCE, bridging the Archaic and Classical periods. Produced in Athens, the heart of ancient Greek pottery innovation, such vessels were everyday luxuries used in symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine, and debated philosophy or recited poetry. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of Attic workshops, where potters and painters collaborated to create functional art exported across the Mediterranean. Ky...