Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)

Art Historical Context

These terracotta fragments from kylikes—shallow, stemless drinking cups—offer a glimpse into the vibrant world of ancient Attic Greece during the Archaic and Classical periods (6th–5th centuries BCE).ed in the renowned pottery workshops of Athens, kylikes were essential for symposia, elegant male drinking parties where wine, philosophy, and poetry flowed. Though incomplete, these shards preserve echoes of the black-figure and early red-figure techniques that defined Attic vase-painting: incised silhouettes fired black against a red clay body, or figures reserved in red with added details in white and purple. Artistically, they highlight the transition from the rigid, ornamental Archaic style to the more naturalistic Classical forms, showcasing mythological scenes, athletes, or daily life that educated and entertained. Terracotta's durability made it ideal for export across the Mediterranean, spreading Greek culture far and wide. Donated in 2011 by Dietrich von Bothmer, a leading scholar of Greek art, these fragments enrich our understanding of everyday luxury in democratic Athens. Today, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, they remind us how even broken pieces can reconstruct history, inviting us to imagine the lively toasts they once accompanied.