Terracotta fragment of a neck-amphora (jar)
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
2011.604.3.335
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a neck-amphora, dating to the late 6th or early 5th century BCE, offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of Archaic Attic pottery from ancient Greece. Produced in Athens, the heart of Greek ceramic innovation, neck-amphoras were practical two-handled jars used to store and transport olive oil or wine—essentials of daily life and trade. As a fragment, it survives from what was once a complete vessel, likely decorated with the black-figure technique, where figures were painted in glossy black slip and details incised to reveal the red clay beneath. This method, perf...