Terracotta fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
490–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late 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
2011.604.3.1323
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a skyphos, a deep two-handled drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece around 490–480 BCE, during the Late Archaic period. Produced in Athens, the heart of ancient Greek pottery innovation, such vases were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where wine flowed and ideas were debated. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of Attic workshops, where potters and painters collaborated to create functional art that bridged daily life and mythology. Attic vases from this era mark the transition from the bold black-figure tec...