Terracotta fragments of kylikes (drinking cups)

Art Historical Context

These terracotta fragments from kylikes—shallow, stemmed drinking cups—originate from Attic Greece during the Archaic and Classical periods (6th–5th BCE). In ancient Athens, kylikes were essential to the *symposion*, an all-male social ritual blending wine, conversation, poetry, and intellectual debate. Held in private homes, these gatherings fostered philosophy, politics, and, with the cup's wide bowl ideal for mixing and sharing diluted wine. Crafted from fired clay, Attic terracotta vases represent a zenith of ancient pottery innovation. Potters and painters, often anonymous workshops, employed techniques like wheel-throwing for precise forms and slip decoration—black-glaze firing for bold silhouettes in the Archaic style, evolving into red-figure in the Classical era for intricate details. Though fragmented, these pieces evoke the vibrancy of everyday and mythic scenes, underscoring Greece's cultural emphasis on beauty, balance, and narrative art. Generously gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011 by Dietrich von Bothmer, Distinguished Research Curator of Greek and Roman Art, these artifacts connect us to the democratic spirit of Athens, where even humble vessels embodied artistic excellence.