Terracotta fragment of a kylix (drinking cup) 530 BC

This terracotta fragment of a kylix, or drinking cup, was crafted by Makron, an Athenian potter and painter, during the first half of the 5th century BC. The scene features a bearded man reclining, possibly at a symposium, a private drinking party for male citizens of Athens. In ancient Greece, symposia were vital social and political occasions. As spaces reserved for men, they reinforced gender hierarchies and civic identities. Wine consumption was central to these gatherings. Note how the cup itself, a vessel designed for communal drinking, embodies the culture of these events. The imagery on kylixes often reflected the values and concerns of Athenian society. The male figure in this fragment offers a glimpse into the rituals of masculinity, citizenship, and social bonding that shaped the experiences of the elite class in ancient Greece. This fragment invites us to consider the potent symbolism embedded in everyday objects.