Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
second quarter 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
2011.604.1.2287
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from kylix, or shallow drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece in the second quarter of the5th century BCE, the height of the Classical period. in Athens, the epicenter of ancient Greek artistry, such vases were everyday luxuries used in symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine, and debated philosophy or politics. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a tangible glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of Attic potters, whose wheel-thrown terracotta vessels were fired in specialized kilns to achieve durability and a warm, earthy hu...