Kylix, eye-cup 525 BC

This black-figure kylix, or drinking cup, from the Essen Group, depicts two warriors in combat. The scene is framed by two large concentric circles and surrounded by a dotted border and additional geometric patterns. The figures are drawn in a simplified style characteristic of the early Archaic period, with a focus on stylized shapes and outlines rather than precise anatomical detail. Created around 525 BC, this vessel demonstrates the elegance and sophistication of Athenian black-figure vase painting, a style that was to be replaced by red-figure painting in the later 6th century.