Terracotta neck-amphora (jar)
ca. 500 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
Height: 8 7/8 in. (22.5 cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, Attic · Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Museum Accession
Accession Number
X.21.15
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant terracotta neck-amphora, created around 500 BCE by the Diosphos Painter, exemplifies the refined artistry of Attic vase painting during Greece’s Archaic period. Standing just under nine inches tall, the vessel was crafted from local clay and decorated using the black-figure technique, in which silhouetted figures were painted in slip and incised to reveal details against the reddish background. Such amphorae served both practical and ceremonial purposes, often holding wine or oil for symposia, rituals, or funerary offerings. The Diosphos Painter specialized in small-scale vessels...