Vase fragment
Unknown Artist
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
Overall: 1 3/4 x 1 1/4in. (4.4 x 3.2cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
East Greek/Sardis, Lydian · Geometric
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of The American Society for the Excavation of Sardis, 1926
Accession Number
26.199.234
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta vase fragment, just 1¾ x 1¼ inches, offers a tantalizing glimpse into the Geometric period (c. 900–700 BCE) of East Greek and Lydian artistry. Hailing from Sardis—the opulent capital of ancient Lydia in modern-day Turkey—this shard was unearthed during excavations supported by The American Society for the Excav of Sardis and gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of in 1926. Its modest size belies its role as a survivor from everyday ancient life, likely part of a larger vessel used for storage, serving, or ritual purposes. In the Geometric era, potters across the Aegean a...