Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
490–480 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late Archaic
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
2011.604.1.1949
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from kylix, or shallow drinking cup, dates to490–480 BCE, Late Archaic period of ancient Attic Greece. Crafted in the renowned pottery workshops of Athens, it exemplifies the everyday elegance of Greek tableware. Kylikes were essential for symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine mixed with water, and engaged in philosophical discourse, poetry, and games. Though only a fragment survives, it hints at the vessel's graceful form, designed for easy handling and aesthetic display. Attic terracotta vases like this one were wheel-thrown a...