Terracotta fragment of an oinochoe (jug)?
Unknown Artist
5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late Archaic/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
2011.604.6.177
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment from an oinochoe, or wine jug, hails from Attic Greece in the 5th century BCE, bridging the Late Archaic and early Classical periods. Oinochoai were essential vessels in ancient Greek households and symposia—lively social gatherings where wine flowed freely. Shaped with a trefoil spout for precise pouring, these jugs embodied everyday elegance, often adorned with vibrant painted scenes of mythology, daily life, or heroic tales by skilled Attic potters. Crafted from fired clay, the fragment showcases the mastery of Greek vase-painting techniques, likely red-fi...