Terracotta kylix (drinking cup)
ca. 540 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 3 3/4 in. (9.6 cm) width with handles 9 15/16 in. (25.2 cm) diameter of bowl 7 1/4 in. (18.5 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Fletcher Fund, 1956
Accession Number
56.171.35
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant terracotta kylix, drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece around 540 BCE during the Archaic period. Crafted by the anonymous workshop as the Group of Rhodes 12264, it exemplifies the black-figure technique that dominated Athenian pottery at the time. With a shallow bowl ideal for sipping wine at symposia—lively social gatherings of men discussing philosophy and politics—the kylix measures just under 10 inches across with handles, making it a portable treasure for ancient elites. The vase's decoration centers on dynamic battles featuring Amazons, the mythical warrior women of Greek ...