Terracotta rim fragment of a skyphos (deep drinking cup)

Art Historical Context

This delicate terracotta rim fragment from skyphos—a deep, two-handled drinking cup popular in ancient Greek symposia— to the third quarter of 4th century BCE Crafted in South Italy by Greek colonists, it exemplifies the vibrant pottery tradition of the Classical period. Though only a portion survives, it hints at the vessel's elegant form, designed for communal wine-drinking rituals that fostered social bonds among elites. South Italian Greek vases, like this one, were renowned for their technical finesse in wheel-throwing terracotta and often vivid painted scenes (though not preserved here). Produced in workshops near Taranto or Paestum, they blended Attic influences with local flair, serving both practical and decorative purposes in households and tombs. This fragment reflects the era's prosperity in Magna Graecia, where Greek culture flourished amid Italic neighbors. Generously gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2011 by Dietrich von Bothmer, a pioneering curator of Greek and Roman art, the piece enriches our understanding of everyday Classical life. Even in its fragmentary state, it invites us to ponder the hands that once raised it in toast, bridging millennia with tactile history.