Terracotta composite jug
Unknown Artist
ca. 1800–1725 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 8 1/8 in. (20.7 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Cypriot · Middle Cypriot II
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.1050
Art Historical Context
This elegant terracotta composite jug hails from Cyprus during the Middle Cypriot II period, 1800–1725 BCE, a time when island communities thrived through advanced pottery and trade networks in the eastern Mediterranean. Standing just over 8 inches tall, its modest size belies its cultural role as a practical vessel, likely used for or pouring liquids like water, oil, or wine. Crafted from fired clay, terracotta was the medium of choice for Cypriot artisans, offering durability and allowing for intricate forms that mimicked more precious metal prototypes—hence the "composite" design, blending ...