Terracotta fragment of an oinochoe (jug)
Unknown Artist
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
2011.604.3.2722
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment from an oinochoe, or wine jug, hails from Attic Greece during the late Archaic period (late 6th to early 5th century BCE). Oinochoai were essential vessels in ancient symposia—lively drinking parties where wine was mixed with water and for guests. Produced in Athens, the heart of Greek pottery innovation, this piece reflects the craftsmanship of anonymous workshops that supplied households, sanctuaries, and festivals across the Mediterranean. Crafted from fired clay, the jug would have been wheel-thrown and likely decorated using the black-figure technique, w...