Terracotta volute-krater (vase for mixing wine and water) 599 BC

This terracotta volute-krater, a vase for mixing wine and water, was crafted by Sophilos in ancient Greece. Sophilos was one of the first vase painters to sign his work, an act which reflects a changing attitude toward the status of artists in early Greece. Sophilos worked in Athens during a period of increasing prosperity and cultural exchange. The symposium, or drinking party, was an important social institution in Athenian life. Sophilos’s vases catered to elite Athenian tastes. They are frequently decorated with scenes from mythology and everyday life, providing valuable insights into the beliefs and customs of early Greece. Here, the imagery relates to the aristocratic practice of horse breeding and racing. Sophilos, and other vase painters like him, drew on a wide range of visual and literary sources to create their works. By studying the imagery on this vase, we can learn more about the social and cultural values of early Greece. For example, ancient texts and archaeological finds shed light on the significance of horses in Athenian society.