Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)
Unknown Artist
first half of the 5th century 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
2011.604.1.3093a, b
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from kylikes, or shallow drinking cups, hail from Attic Greece in the first half of the 5th century BCE, a pivotal time bridging the Archaic and Classical periods. Produced in Athens, the epicenter of ancient Greek pottery, these vases were everyday yet exquisite objects used in symposia—lively social gatherings where wine flowed and intellectual discourse thrived. Though incomplete, the fragments offer a glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of anonymous Attic workshops, where potters and painters collaborated to create functional art. Terracotta, fired clay coate...