Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
late 6th/early 5th centuries 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
2011.604.3.2159
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, a shallow drinking cup popular in ancient Greece, offers a glimpse into the vibrant of Attic pottery from the late Archaic period ( 6th to early 5th century). Produced in Athens, the heart of Greek ceramic innovation, kylikes like this were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where elite men reclined, drank wine, and engaged in intellectual discourse. Though only a piece survives, it exemplifies the craftsmanship of anonymous Attic workshops, where potters and painters collaborated to create functional yet beautifully decorated vessels. Terra...