Terracotta fragments of closed shapes
Unknown Artist
6th/5th centuries BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.6.105a–d
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from closed shapes hail from ancient Attica, Greece, dating to the 6th or 5th century BCE spanning the Archaic and early Classical periods. As remnants of vases—likely vessels like amphorae or oinochoai designed for storage or pouring—they offer a glimpse into everyday life and elite banquets in ancient Athens. Crafted from fired clay, these pieces exemplify the durability of terracotta, a medium that allowed intricate designs while serving practical purposes in households, symposia, and trade. Attic pottery was the pinnacle of Greek ceramic art, renowned for techni...