Terracotta rim fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)
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
2011.604.5.319a–d
Art Historical Context
These delicate terracotta rim fragments fromikes—shallow drinking cups popular in ancient Greek symposia— a glimpse into Attic pottery from the Archaic and Classical periods (6th–5th centuries BCE). Crafted in the vibrant hub of Athens, these pieces exemplify the everyday artistry of Greek vase-makers, who transformed functional ceramics into objects of beauty and social ritual. Though incomplete, the rims hint at the elegant shapes designed for mixing and sipping wine, central to male gatherings where philosophy, poetry, and politics flowed freely. Attic vases like these were pivotal in the ...