Terracotta fragments of skyphoi (deep drinking cups)
Unknown Artist
second half 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
2011.604.2.1817a, b
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from skyphoi—deep, two-handled drinking cupsoffer a glimpse into everyday life in Classical Athens during the second half of the5th century BCE.ed in Attic Greece, the heart of ancient Greek pottery production, these pieces hail from a golden age of democracy, philosophy, and monumental art like the Parthenon Skyphoi were popular at symposia, intimate male drinking parties where guests reclined, debated ideas, and enjoyed wine mixed with water, embodying the social rituals of the time. Though incomplete, the fragments highlight the technical mastery of Attic vase-ma...