Terracotta stemless kylix (drinking cup)

Art Historical Context

This delicate terracotta stemless ky, or drinking cup, hails from the Hellenistic period (late 4th–3rd century BCE) in South Italian Campanian culture, specifically the Calenian workshops near modern-day Campania. Measuring just 2 inches high and 4⅞ inches wide, its shallow, wide-mouthed form was ideal for sipping wine at symposia—lively male social gatherings where philosophy, poetry, and revelry flowed freely. Crafted from fired clay, these vases exemplify the enduring Greek tradition of wheel-thrown pottery, often decorated with red-figure or black-glaze techniques that highlighted everyday...