Terracotta fragment of a kylix: Siana cup (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
third quarter of the 6th century 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
2011.604.3.2535
Art Historical Context
This exquisite terracotta fragment from a Siana cup, a type of kylix or drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece in the third quarter of the 6th century BCE, during the Archaic period. Crafted around 550–525 BCE, Siana cups represent an innovative subtype of black-figure pottery, distinguished by their elegant offset lip and deep bowl, ideal for the symposia—lively social gatherings where elite Athenians shared wine, philosophy, and poetry. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of ancient potters, who shaped and fired terracotta to create durable yet ...