Terracotta fragment of a skyphos?
Unknown Artist
6th century BCE?
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture
Unknown fabric
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
2011.604.14.13
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment, possibly from a skyphos—a two-handled drinking cup popular in ancient Greece—offers a tantalizing glimpse into everyday life around the 6th century BCE. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Greek and Roman Art Department, it exemplifies the fragile yet enduring legacy of Archaic pottery. Skyphoi were versatile vessels used in symposia, rituals, and households, blending utility with artistry in a culture where ceramics were a primary canvas for storytelling and decoration. Crafted from terracotta, a fired clay medium that allowed for mass production via potter's...