Terracotta rim fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)
Unknown Artist
5th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Late 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
2011.604.6.192
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta rim fragment from skyphos—a deep, two-handled drinking cup—offers a glimpse into everyday life in ancient Attic Greece during the 5th century BCE, bridging the Late Archaic and Classical periods. Crafted by an unknown potter in Athens, the region's pottery workshops were renowned for their technical mastery, producing wheel-thrown vessels fired in kilns to create durable terracotta. Skyphoi like this one were ubiquitous at symposia, social gatherings where men shared wine, poetry, and philosophy, symbolizing the democratic ideals emerging in Classical Athens. Though o...