Terracotta column-krater (vase for mixing wine and water) 460 BC

This 5th-century BC terracotta krater, a type of vase used for mixing wine and water, is a fine example of Athenian black-figure pottery. The vessel features a black glazed surface with a decorative band of geometric patterns, against which figures are depicted in a light, reserved slip. It is a common theme in Athenian art to portray figures in ritualistic processions, and this piece presents a group of figures in a procession, perhaps a Dionysian celebration. The krater is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.