Terracotta neck-amphora (jar)
ca. 500 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 7 7/16 in. (18.9 cm) diameter of mouth 3 3/16 in. (8.1 cm) diameter of foot 2 5/16 in. (5.9 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
56.171.26
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite terracotta neck-amph, crafted by the Diosphos Painter 500 BCE, exemplifies Attic Greek pottery from the Archaic period. just 7 7/16 inches tall, this compact jar—likely used for storing oil or wine—was a staple of everyday life and elite banquets in ancient Athens. The Diosphos Painter, an anonymous master identified by his distinctive style, worked in the waning years of the black-figure technique, where figures were painted in glossy black slip against a clay-red ground, then incised to reveal details. The vase's decoration bursts with mythological drama, featuring warriors b...