Terracotta fragments of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
ca. 480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Early 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
2011.604.4.11a, b
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of ancient Athens with these terracotta fragments from a kylix, a shallow drinking cup popular in symposia—lively social gatherings where elite Greeks reclined, debated philosophy, and enjoyed wine. Dating to around 480 BCE, this Attic Greek artifact hails from the Early Classical, a pivotal era bridging the rigid Archaic style and the dynamic humanism of High Classical art. Crafted in the renowned Potteries of Athens, it exemplifies the technical mastery of wheel-thrown terracotta, fired to a warm reddish hue and likely decorated in the innovative red-figure techni...