Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)
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
2011.604.3.2240a, b
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from ancient Attic kylikes—allow, stemless drinking cups—offer a glimpse into the vibrant world of Archaic Greece (6th–5th centuries BCE). Crafted in Athens, the heart of Attic pottery production, kylikes were essential for symposia, elegant male drinking parties where wine was mixed with water and philosophical discussions flowed. Though incomplete, these pieces evoke the social rituals and communal joys of everyday Athenian life. Attic vases from this era represent a pinnacle of Greek ceramic artistry, transitioning from the intricate black-figure technique—where ...