Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
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
2011.604.1.6522
Art Historical Context
This terracotta rim fragment of a kylix, a shallow drinking cup central to ancient Greek social life, was crafted around 490–480 BCE during the Late Archaic period. Attic artists like the Colmar Painter produced such vessels in Athens, where pottery workshops flourished amid growing civic and cultural developments. Kylixes were commonly used at symposia—gatherings where men reclined to discuss philosophy, politics, and poetry while sharing diluted wine—making even small fragments valuable windows into daily rituals and communal customs. The Colmar Painter’s work reflects the refined technique...