Terracotta Kylix (drinking Cup) 500 BC

This Terracotta Kylix, or drinking cup, was made by an Ancient Greek Potter sometime between 900 and 31 BC. The symposium, or aristocratic drinking party, was a core element of Greek social life, so pottery like this Kylix was common. The images we see on this cup reflect a patriarchal society in which the elite male was the central figure. Here, the figures, painted in red against a black ground, seem to be in the midst of revelry. Drinking was a ritualistic activity, connected to male bonding. Do you notice how the scenes depict men enjoying themselves in the company of other men? While women are present in these scenes, they are often shown as servants or entertainers, reinforcing their limited role in society. And let’s not forget the enslaved people who would have been present at these events, entirely absent in the visual narrative depicted here. This cup invites us to consider how objects embody and perpetuate the power dynamics of their time.