Terracotta fragment of an oinochoe: chous (jug)?
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
2011.604.3.2756
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from an oinochoe— a chous, a small jug used for pouring wine—offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of Archaic Attic pottery. Dating to the late 6th or early 5th century, it hails from ancient Athens during the Archaic period (c. 600–480 BCE), a time when Greek city-states flourished and pottery became a major export, spreading myths and daily life across the Mediterranean. Attributed to the "Class Vatican G 50," group of skilled potters and painters named after a vase in the Vatican collections, this piece reflects the workshop's distinctive style in black-figure tec...