Terracotta fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
second quarter of the 5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Classical
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
2011.604.2.1605
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a skyphos, a deep two-handled drinking cup popular in ancient Greece, dates to the second quarter the 5th century. Crafted in Attic workshops during the Classical period—the golden age of Athens—this piece reflects the pinnacle of Greek pottery production. Skyphoi like this one were everyday essentials for symposia, lively social gatherings where men shared wine, philosophy, and poetry, bridging the mortal world with the divine through shared rituals. Attic terracotta vases were celebrated for their technical mastery, often featuring red-figure painting that allo...