Volute-krater fragment
Unknown Artist
4th century BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
2 7/8 x 2 1/2in. (7.3 x 6.4cm)
Classification
Vases
Culture & Period
Greek, South Italian, Apulian · Late Classical
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1919
Accession Number
19.192.81.83
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
This delicate terracotta fragment from a volute-krater dating to the 4 century BCE, offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of South Italian Apulian pottery during the Late Classical period. in the Greek colonies of Apulia (modern-day Puglia, Italy), volute-kraters were grand mixing vessels for wine and water, essential to symposia—lively social gatherings where elites reclined, conversed, and reveled. The distinctive volute (scroll-like) handles, though partially preserved here in this modest 2 7/8 x 2 1/2-inch piece, elevated these vases as both functional objects and status symbols. Apulia...