Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
second quarter of the 5th century 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
2011.604.1.3721
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece in the second quarter of the 5 century BCE, during the height of the Classical period. in Athens, the epicenter of ancient Greek artistry, kylikes like this were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine mixed with water, and engaged in philosophical discourse, poetry, and revelry. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the exquisite pottery that defined Attic workshops, prized for both utility and decoration. Terracotta, fired clay, was the medium of choice fo...