Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)
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
2011.604.5.249a–y
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from kylikes—shallow, stemless drinking cups—offer a glimpse into the vibrant world of ancient Attic Greece during the Archaic and Classical periods (6th–5th centuries BCE).ed in the bustling potters' quarter of Athens, these pieces exemplify the everyday artistry of anonymous vase-painters who decorated utilitarian objects with black-figure or early red-figure techniques. Kylikes were essential for symposia, male social gatherings where wine flowed freely amid philosophical debates, poetry, and revelry, making them cultural touchstones of Athenian life. Though inco...