Terracotta fragments of skyphoi (deep 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
2011.604.2.2326a, b
Art Historical Context
These terracotta fragments from ancient Attic Greece, dating to the 6th or 5th century BCE likely belong to skyphoi—deep, two-handled drinking cups used in everyday social rituals like the symposion, where men gathered to drink wine, discuss philosophy, and bond. Produced during the Archaic and early Classical periods, they exemplify the masterful pottery tradition of Athens, a hub of artistic innovation. Though incomplete, these shards hint at the vibrant painted decorations typical of Attic vases, possibly featuring black-figure or pioneering red-figure techniques where figures were outlined...