Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)
Unknown Artist
second quarter of the 5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.1.4447a, b
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from kylikes, or shallow drinking cups, hail from Attic Greece in the second quarter of the5th century BCE, the height of the Classical period.ed by an unknown artist, they exemplify the everyday elegance of ancient Athenian pottery, used in symposia—lively social gatherings where elites reclined, drank wine, and debated philosophy. Kylikes were prized for their wide, stemmed design, perfect for mixing and sipping diluted wine, a staple of Greek hospitality and ritual. Terracotta, fired clay, was the medium of choice for these vases, often wheel-thrown and decorated...