Terracotta rim fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
late 6th/early 5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · 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
2011.604.3.1440
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from skyphos, a deep two-handled drinking cup, hails from Attic Greece during the late Archaic period (late 6th to early 5th century BCE). Produced in Athens, the heart of ancient Greek pottery innovation, such vessels were everyday luxuries used in symposia—lively social gatherings where men reclined, drank wine, and debated philosophy. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a tangible glimpse into the refined craftsmanship of Attic workshops, where potters shaped functional wares into objects of beauty. Attic terracotta vases like this one were typi...