Terracotta rim fragment of a kylix (drinking cup) 530 BC

This fragment of a terracotta kylix, or drinking cup, was made by Apollodoros, an Athenian potter and painter, sometime in the late 6th century BC. It depicts a figure, possibly a maenad or a reveler, playing aulos, a double-piped wind instrument, amidst a backdrop of stylized floral motifs. The cup’s imagery offers insights into the symposium, an important social institution in ancient Greece. The symposium was an exclusive drinking party for aristocratic men. These gatherings were spaces for entertainment, philosophical discussions, and the reaffirmation of social bonds. The presence of music, wine, and possibly ecstatic rituals, suggests that the symposium was not just a space for elite men, but also a place where social norms could be tested. To fully understand this kylix, scholars investigate a range of resources. Pottery typology and stylistic analysis can help determine the date and artist, while literary sources, such as poems and philosophical texts, can illuminate the cultural significance of the symposium.