Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
6th/5th centuries BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic /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
2011.604.5.173
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from an Attic kylix, dating to the 6th or 5th century BCE, offers a glimpse into the refined world of ancient Greek symposia. A kylix was a shallow, stemless drinking cup ideal for passing around during these male social gatherings, where wine was mixed with water and philosophical discussions flowed. Crafted in Attica—the heart of classical pottery production—this piece bridges the Archaic and Classical periods, when Athenian workshops revolutionized vase painting with black-figure and emerging red-figure techniques, showcasing mythological scenes, athlet...