Terracotta fragment of an open shape
Unknown Artist
6th/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
2011.604.6.391
Art Historical Context
This terracotta fragment from an open-shaped vase offers a tantalizing glimpse into Archaic Greek pottery from Attic workshops, dating to the 6th or 5th century BCE Produced in Athens, the heart of ancient Greek ceramic innovation, such vessels were everyday essentials—likely a shallow bowl or cup used for drinking symposia wine or mixing water. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the durability of terracotta, fired clay that preserved vibrant scenes of mythology, daily life, and heroic tales for millennia. Attic vases from this period mark a pivotal shift in artistic techniques, ...