Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
460–450 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
2011.604.1.7916
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment from alix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece around 460–450 BCE, during the height of the Classical period.ed in Athens, the epicenter of ancient Greek pottery production, kylikes like this were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and engaged in philosophical discourse. Though only a piece survives, it evokes the refined elegance of everyday luxury in democratic Athens, just after the Persian Wars. Terracotta, fired clay valued for its durability and versatility, allowed Attic potters to create ...