Terracotta fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)

Art Historical Context

This terracotta fragment from a skyphos, a deep two-handled drinking cup popular in ancient Greece, dates to the Classical period (475–450 BCE) hails from Attic workshops near Athens. Skyphoi like this were everyday essentials at symposia—lively social gatherings where men shared wine, philosophy, and poetry—reflecting the democratic ideals and cultural vibrancy of fifth-century Athens amid the Golden Age of Pericles. Crafted in terracotta, the fired clay medium central to Greek vase-painting, this piece exemplifies Attic potters' mastery. By this era, artists had shifted from black-figure to red-figure techniques, leaving clay figures unglazed against a black background for dynamic, naturalistic details. Though only a fragment survives, it offers a glimpse into the sophisticated pottery trade that exported Attic wares across the Mediterranean, influencing art from Italy to the Black Sea. Generously gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011 by Dietrich von Bothmer, a renowned curator of Greek and Roman art, this artifact connects us to the ingenuity of anonymous ancient craftsmen whose vessels blended utility with subtle artistry.