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
2011.604.2.1715
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from skyphos—a deep, two-handled drinking cup popular in ancient Greek symposia— a glimpse into the daily rituals of Classical Athens. Dating to the second quarter of the5th century BCE ( 450–425 BCE), it hails from Attica, the heartland of Greek pottery production during the golden age of Pericles. Skyphoi like this one were essential for communal wine-drinking gatherings, where philosophy, poetry, and politics flowed freely among citizens. Crafted in terracotta, the fragment exemplifies the technical mastery of Attic vase-makers, who fired clay at high ...