Terracotta fragment of a kylix: eye-cup (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
540–520 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
2011.604.3.2349
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a kylix, or eye-cup drinking vessel, hails from Attic Greece during the Archaic period (540–520 BCE). Craft in the vibrant tradition of ancient Greek pottery, it represents a partial glimpse into the daily life of elite Athenians. Kylikes like this were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine mixed with water, and engaged in poetry, philosophy, and revelry. The eye-cup design, with its distinctive staring eyes painted on the exterior, transformed the cup into a whimsical yet protective object; as drinkers lifted it to their l...