Vase fragment
Unknown Artist
ca. 600–550 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Laconian · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of A. J. B. Wace, 1924
Accession Number
24.195.210
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta vase fragment,ailing from Laconian Greece around 600–550 BCE, a glimpse into the Archaic period's vibrant pottery tradition. Standing just 1 11/16 inches (4.3 cm) tall, it is a modest survivor from the region of Laconia—ancient Sparta's homeland—crafted by an unknown artist. Now housed in the Metropolitan Museum Art's Greek and Roman Department, it entered the collection as a gift from archaeologist A. J. B. Wace in 1924. Laconian vases like this one represent a distinctive regional style during the Archaic era, when Greek potters mastered wheel-throwing and firing te...