Terracotta rim fragment of a skyphos (deep 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
2011.604.2.1269
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from skyphos—a deep, two-handled drinking cup—offers a glimpse into the refined world of Classical Athens during the second quarter of the 5 century BCE. Crafted Attic Greece at the height of the city's golden age, skyph like this were essential for symposia, the intellectual and social drinking parties where philosophers, poets, and citizens gathered. Though only a fragment survives, it exemplifies the everyday elegance of Greek pottery, blending utility with artistry. Attic vase-makers mastered terracotta techniques, firing clay at high temperatures to ...