Terracotta fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
early 5th 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
2011.604.3.1362
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from a skyphos—a deep, two-handled drinking cup popular in ancient Greece—offers a glimpse into Attic pottery from the early 5th century BCE, during the Archaic period. Produced in Athens, the heart of Greek artistic innovation, such vessels were essential for symposia, social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine, and discussed philosophy, politics, and poetry. Though only a piece survives, it exemplifies the craftsmanship of anonymous Attic potters and painters who turned everyday ceramics into works of art. Terracotta, fired clay valued for its durability and v...