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Kantharos

A kantharos (Ancient Greek: κάνθαρος) is a type of ancient Greek drinking vessel characterized by a deep bowl, a tall stem rising from a footed base, and two high vertical handles that extend above the rim and curve outward in a distinctive loop shape.^[1]^[2] This form, often made of terracotta but also in metal or other materials, typically features a wide mouth for easy drinking and was designed to hold wine.^[3] Originating as one of the oldest known Greek vase shapes, the kantharos first gained prominence during the Middle Helladic period (ca. 2000–1600 BCE), with early examples appearing in Mycenaean contexts.^[4] By the eighth century BCE, it became a staple in Greek pottery, particularly in Attic black-figure and red-figure wares from the sixth to fourth centuries BCE, where variations included the standard deep form and later "cup kantharos" types with horizontal handles.^[1] The vessel's design evolved regionally, with South Italian and Etruscan adaptations, but retained its core silhouette across the classical world.^[3]^[5] In ancient Greek culture, the kantharos served primarily as a wine cup during symposia—social gatherings focused on drinking and conversation—and was frequently depicted in art held by Dionysus, the god of wine, symbolizing revelry, fertility, and ritual libations.^[1]^[3] It also appeared in religious contexts, such as offerings to deities like Aphrodite,^[3] and in funerary practices, underscoring its role beyond mere utility as a marker of elite social and sacred life.^[6] Surviving examples, often decorated with mythological scenes or inscriptions, provide key insights into ancient craftsmanship and iconography.^[2]

Etymology and Terminology

Etymology

The term "kantharos" derives from the Ancient Greek word κάνθαρος (kántharos), which primarily denoted a type of beetle, specifically the dung beetle (Scarabaeus pilularius), a species revered in ancient Egyptian culture for its symbolic association with rebirth and the sun god Khepri.^[7] The application of this term to the drinking vessel likely stems from the cup's distinctive form, with its bulging body and upward-curving handles evoking the shape of a beetle's carapace and legs, though the precise linguistic connection remains debated among philologists.^[1] The etymology of κάνθαρος itself is uncertain, potentially originating from a Pre-Greek substrate language, as suggested by linguists like Chantraine, who point to related anthroponyms and toponyms such as the port of Piraeus.^[7] Alternatively, Strömberg proposed an Indo-European derivation via r-stem suffixation from κάνθων (kánthōn), meaning "pack-ass," drawing parallels to other animal-named terms in Greek, though this hypothesis lacks consensus.^[7] In ancient Greek pronunciation, the word was rendered approximately as /kán.tʰa.ros/, with the initial kappa as an unaspirated /k/ and the theta as an aspirated dental stop /tʰ/, evolving in later Greek (such as Modern) to /ˈkan.θa.ros/. Modern English adaptations typically pronounce it as /ˈkænθəˌrɒs/ or /ˈkænθərəs/, reflecting anglicized phonetics.^[8] The term entered Latin as cantharus, a direct borrowing retaining the Greek form and meaning for both the beetle and the vessel, as attested in classical texts describing Roman adaptations of Greek sympotic ware.^[9]

Terminology and Variants

The kantharos (Ancient Greek: κάνθαρος) is a deep drinking cup primarily used for wine in ancient Greek contexts, characterized by its bowl shape and typically vertical handles, distinguishing it from the shallower kylix, which features a wide, saucer-like form for sipping, and the skyphos, a deeper vessel with horizontal handles and often no stem.^[1]^[10] This form, often associated with Dionysus in iconography, appears in pottery from the Geometric period onward, with the term deriving from a Greek word also denoting a beetle, possibly evoking the vessel's robust, bulging profile.^[11] Recognized variants of the kantharos include Type A, the iconic form with high-swung vertical handles extending above the rim, a standard in Attic black- and red-figure pottery from the late 6th to 5th centuries BCE.^[12] The sessile kantharos, a low-footed subtype without a pronounced stem, emerged in the Archaic Northeast Aegean region, peaking in popularity from the late 8th to 6th centuries BCE and reflecting Anatolian influences in its regional ceramic assemblages.^[13] Type B1 represents a later Attic variant, often featuring subtle profile differences and dated to the 5th century BCE, while the cup-kantharos, a 4th-century BCE evolution with horizontal handles akin to a kylix, bridged traditional kantharos forms with shallower bowl designs in black-glazed ware.^[14]^[15] Related terms include kotylos (κότῦλος, masculine) and kotyle (κοτύλη, feminine), ancient Greek designations sometimes applied to shallower or straight-sided bowl variants of the kantharos, particularly in Corinthian and broader drinking vessel contexts from the 7th to 5th centuries BCE.^[1]^[16]

Description and Design

Basic Form

The kantharos features a deep, rounded bowl designed specifically for holding wine, allowing for substantial capacity while facilitating easy drinking through its wide mouth.^[17] This bowl typically measures 10–20 cm in overall height for the vessel, with the bowl's depth providing a generous interior space suited to the beverage's volume.^[18]^[19] Supporting the bowl is a tall pedestal foot or stem, which ensures stability and elevates the cup for practical use during gatherings. The stem often flares outward at the base, contributing to the vessel's secure stance on surfaces.^[2]^[1] In terms of proportions, the kantharos maintains a balanced and elegant profile, creating a harmonious silhouette that emphasizes both functionality and aesthetic appeal.^[17]^[18] This design underscores the form's classical Greek emphasis on symmetry and proportion in everyday objects.^[3]

Handles and Base

The handles of the kantharos consist of two distinctive high-swung strap or loop-shaped elements that rise from the lower body of the bowl and curve upward, often extending above the rim to provide a secure grip during drinking or toasting rituals.^[1] In the iconic Type A form prevalent in Attic pottery from the fifth century BCE, these handles arch prominently, sometimes reaching heights significantly above the bowl's depth to emphasize the vessel's elegant profile and facilitate handling in symposia.^[2] Regional variants, such as those from Klazomenai in the late fifth to early fourth centuries BCE, feature vertical strap handles attached at mid-body that curve more modestly, barely rising above the rim in Type 1 examples, while Type 2 displays higher arches for a more pronounced lift.^[15] The base of the kantharos exhibits notable variations across periods and regions, reflecting both functional needs and stylistic evolution. Later classical examples, particularly from Attica around 425 BCE, incorporate a tall pedestal foot divided into two degrees with a grooved resting surface, enhancing table stability and allowing the vessel to stand firmly during use.^[20] In contrast, earlier archaic types, including sessile forms from the northeast Aegean dating to the seventh to sixth centuries BCE, feature a low or footless base directly integrated with the bowl, prioritizing compactness over elevation.^[13] These base designs ensure the kantharos remains steady on surfaces, complementing the handles' role in safe manipulation during social or ceremonial contexts.^[1]

Historical Development

Origins

The kantharos, a distinctive drinking vessel characterized by its deep bowl and high-swung handles, likely originated in metalwork traditions, particularly in bronze or silver, before being adapted into ceramic forms. This shape draws from earlier Bronze Age prototypes in the Aegean and Anatolia, where metal vessels of similar design facilitated elite feasting practices. The transition to pottery reflects broader technological and cultural exchanges in the region, with metal kantharoi serving as models for durable, symbolic tableware in ritual and social contexts.^[4]^[21] The earliest pottery examples of the kantharos, particularly the sessile variant without a pronounced stem, emerge in the late 8th to early 7th century BC within the Northeast Aegean ceramic assemblage. These appear at key sites such as Smyrna (modern Bayrakli) and Troy, where they form part of the G2/3 Ware and Gray Ware groups, indicating localized production influenced by regional trade networks. At Troy, fragments from mid-7th century BC contexts, including destruction layers, highlight the vessel's integration into early Archaic material culture.^[13]^[22] Possible Anatolian connections are evident through the sessile kantharos's prevalence in coastal North Aeolian sites like Assos, Antandros, and Troy, predating its widespread adoption in core Greek regions. This variant's distribution pattern suggests cross-cultural transmission from Anatolian ceramic traditions, as seen in parallels with Bronze Age forms from Beycesultan, fostering a shared koine in the late 8th to 6th century BC. By the 6th century BC, the kantharos emerged prominently in Attic workshops, aligning with the rise of sympotic culture and its emphasis on communal wine-drinking rituals often linked to Dionysian associations.^[13]^[23]^[24]

Chronological Evolution

The kantharos emerged in the Archaic period (8th–6th century BC) primarily in sessile forms, lacking a pronounced stem and featuring a broad, shallow bowl directly attached to a low or flat base, with regional variations prominent in the Northeast Aegean ceramic traditions. These early examples, produced in G2/3 Ware and Gray Ware, exhibited six morphological types defined by rim profiles (everted, incurved, or straight) and body shapes (hemispherical to conical), reflecting localized adaptations across Greek islands and coastal areas. Popularity peaked from the late 8th to mid-6th century BC, with a gradual shift toward rounder bodies by the 6th century, often showing brief links to early Anatolian pottery influences in form and decoration.^[13] In the Classical period (5th–4th century BC), the kantharos evolved into the iconic Type A form, characterized by a deep bowl, tall pedestal foot, and two high vertical handles curving upward above the rim, reaching its zenith in Attic red-figure pottery production from approximately 420–310 BC. Exemplars from this era, such as those attributed to painters like the Aison Painter, demonstrate refined proportions and glossy black interiors, underscoring the shape's status as a sympotic staple often associated with Dionysian imagery. Concurrently, the cup kantharos variant appeared in the 4th century BC, featuring a shallower bowl and horizontal handles projecting outward without rejoining the body, offering a more compact design suited to everyday use.^[25]^[1] Hellenistic developments (late 4th–3rd century BC onward) introduced regional influences, notably in Apulian red-figure kantharoi dated to 320–310 BC, which retained the Type A silhouette but incorporated South Italian motifs like female heads or theatrical scenes in added white and yellow details for enhanced visual appeal. Innovative forms included rattling kantharoi, equipped with internal hollow rims containing pebbles to produce sound when shaken, likely for amusement or ritual signaling during symposia, with examples from the 4th century BC onward.^[26]^[27] Following the 4th century BC, kantharos production declined amid broader shifts in Greek ceramics toward mold-made wares and Eastern influences, with Attic workshops largely ceasing fine decorated examples by the late Hellenistic period. Nonetheless, the form endured in ritual contexts, as evidenced by Danubian kantharoi deposits linked to agricultural cults into the 3rd century BC, symbolizing Dionysian libations in votive and funerary practices.^[28]^[29]

Uses and Cultural Role

In Symposia and Daily Life

The kantharos functioned as a key drinking vessel in ancient Greek symposia, aristocratic male gatherings centered on wine consumption, intellectual discourse, and social bonding, typically held in the andron room of elite households. With its deep bowl and high vertical handles, the kantharos allowed participants, who reclined on cushioned klinai, to sip wine comfortably while facilitating the ritualized passing of the cup from left to right among attendees for toasts and shared libations. This communal sharing emphasized equality and camaraderie among symposiasts, often numbering seven to fifteen, and was overseen by a symposiarch who regulated the wine's dilution and the pace of drinking to maintain order and prevent excess.^[30]^[24] Distinguishing it from the larger krater, which served exclusively for mixing wine with water in ratios of three or four parts water to one part wine to embody the Greek ideal of sophrosyne (moderation), the kantharos's design accommodated a substantial volume suitable for individual or shared servings, and in certain contexts, it could hold undiluted wine, contrasting the symposia's emphasis on tempered enjoyment. Archaeological evidence from sympotic assemblages, including black- and red-figure pottery, confirms its prevalence alongside other cups like the kylix, with the kantharos's taller form enabling easier handling during reclined drinking and games such as kottabos. This role underscored the vessel's contribution to social cohesion, as the act of sharing wine from the kantharos reinforced hierarchies, alliances, and cultural norms within elite circles.^[31]^[32]^[24] Beyond formal symposia, the kantharos was a staple in daily elite life, used in household settings for formal dinners and casual elite socializing, reflecting its status as a marker of refined domesticity and access to imported or high-quality wines among the Athenian upper class.^[33]

In Religious and Ritual Contexts

The kantharos played a central role in ancient Greek religious ceremonies as a vessel for libations, the ritual pouring of wine or other liquids as offerings to the gods. This practice was integral to honoring deities, particularly Dionysus, where the deep bowl and high handles of the kantharos allowed for the ceremonial elevation and controlled spilling of the liquid during invocations. In Dionysian festivals such as the Dionysia, the kantharos was employed as a ritual implement during processions and sacrifices, symbolizing the god's domain over wine and fertility while facilitating communal devotion through shared libatory acts.^[34]^[2] Kantharoi were frequently dedicated in sanctuaries as votive offerings, reflecting their sacred status in cult practices and serving as tangible links between worshippers and the divine. Similarly, these vessels were included among grave goods, embodying the belief in an eternal feast in the afterlife where the deceased could continue sympotic rituals with libations to chthonic powers. This placement underscored the kantharos's function in bridging mortal and immortal realms, ensuring the soul's sustenance through perpetual Dionysiac abundance.^[35]^[36] Within Dionysian mystery cults, the kantharos held wine that induced states of divine ecstasy, representing spiritual purification and the initiate's rebirth into a heightened communion with the god. The vessel's use in these secretive rites emphasized wine's transformative power, allowing participants to transcend everyday constraints and achieve ritual catharsis through intoxication as a metaphor for enlightenment. Such practices highlighted the kantharos's deeper esoteric significance beyond mere utility, aligning it with themes of renewal and mystical union.^[35]^[37]

Iconography and Decoration

Common Motifs

Kantharoi frequently featured Dionysian scenes, depicting satyrs and maenads in revelry, often intertwined with grapevines and ivy wreaths that evoked themes of fertility, wine, and ecstatic worship associated with the god Dionysus.^[38]^[39] These motifs appeared on both ceramic and metal examples, with ivy tendrils adorning shoulders and satyr heads positioned under handles to emphasize the vessel's ritual significance in symposia.^[40] Grapevines, rendered in delicate black-figure or added white slip techniques, symbolized abundance and the transformative power of wine in Greek culture.^[41] Mythological narratives also adorned kantharos surfaces, particularly on silver specimens from the late Classical period, where scenes like the death of Orpheus—showing the musician torn apart by maenads—were paired with the abduction of Helen by Paris, highlighting themes of tragedy and desire.^[42] Another notable example includes the sacrifice of the golden ram central to the Golden Fleece myth, illustrating Phrixus offering the animal to Zeus upon arrival in Colchis, a motif that underscored heroism and divine favor.^[43] These elaborate engravings on precious metal kantharoi reflected the vessel's elevated status in elite contexts, blending narrative depth with symbolic resonance. Animal and floral motifs provided additional decorative layers, often appearing on handles, rims, or interiors to frame more complex scenes. Lotus flowers and buds, arranged in alternating patterns with palmettes, decorated the interiors of Boeotian and Attic kantharoi, symbolizing purity and rebirth in line with Eastern influences on Greek art.^[44] Sphinxes, as mythical guardians, were stamped or painted on bodies and handles, evoking riddles and protection, as seen in Chian black-figure examples and the Eleon Sphinx Kantharos.^[45] Donkeys, linked to Dionysian processions, appeared as attachments or figures, while scarab-like beetles occasionally surfaced in syncretic Greco-Egyptian contexts, representing renewal akin to the god Khepri.^[40]

Artistic Techniques

The kantharos was primarily manufactured from clay, with Attic potters favoring a fine, iron-rich orange clay that provided a smooth, durable base for decoration after firing.^[46] Although ceramic examples predominate among surviving artifacts, ancient kantharoi were more frequently produced in metals like bronze, silver, or gold, as indicated by literary references and the scarcity of preserved pottery relative to expected usage.^[47] Ceramic kantharoi employed black-figure and red-figure techniques, both reliant on a three-stage kiln firing process to achieve their characteristic colors. In black-figure production, potters applied an iron-rich black gloss slip to outline and silhouette figures, incising fine details through the slip to expose the underlying clay before firing: an initial oxidizing phase turned the clay and unglazed areas red, a reducing phase blackened the gloss via oxygen deprivation, and a final re-oxidizing phase preserved the red body while keeping the gloss dark.^[48] The red-figure method inverted this approach by coating the background in black gloss and reserving figures in the natural red clay, allowing painters greater freedom for anatomical details using thin relief lines and dilute gloss for shading and muscular contours during the same firing sequence.^[46] Production began with wheel-throwing the bowl and stem on a potter's wheel to form the core shape, followed by the attachment of high-swung handles and a flared base using wet clay slip for adhesion, after which the vessel dried slowly to prevent cracking.^[49] Glazing extended beyond black gloss to include added slips: purple, derived from hematite for a matte reddish-purple tone on elements like wreaths or garments, and white, made from illitic clay for flesh tones or highlights, applied either pre-firing for integration or post-firing for vibrancy.^[48] Type B kantharoi, distinguished by their lower handles rising only to the rim, often featured painted inscriptions beneath the rim, including potters' or painters' names and the term kalos ("beautiful") to commend the quality of figures or the artisan's skill.^[50]

Archaeological Evidence

Major Finds and Sites

Kantharoi have been excavated from several key Attic sites, providing evidence of their use in both civic and funerary contexts during the Classical period. In the Athens Agora, numerous examples of black-glazed and West Slope kantharoi have been recovered from deposits dating to the 5th and 4th centuries BCE, reflecting everyday drinking practices in public spaces.^[41] Similarly, the Kerameikos cemetery has yielded kantharoi from 5th-century BCE graves, often as grave goods associated with elite burials along the major roads leading out of Athens.^[51] Beyond Attica, regional finds illustrate the widespread production and distribution of kantharoi in the Greek world. Burials at Corinth have produced kantharos fragments from Geometric through Hellenistic periods, including examples from the Panayia Field and Anaploga areas, highlighting their role in funerary rituals across the Peloponnese.^[52]^[53] In East Greek contexts in Asia Minor, 6th-century BCE kantharoi decorated with satyr masks exemplify East Greek ceramic traditions, discovered in contexts linked to Ionian workshops.^[54] Sessile kantharoi, a distinctive low-footed variant, appear prominently in the Northeast Aegean, with examples from sites like Smyrna, Troy, and coastal settlements such as Assos and Antandros, dating to the Archaic period and underscoring Anatolian influences on regional pottery styles.^[22] In non-Greek contexts, kantharoi demonstrate the vessel's adaptation and persistence into Hellenistic and Roman times. Apulian red-figure kantharoi from southern Italy, dated to approximately 320–310 BCE, have been found in burial assemblages, indicating Greek cultural export to Italic territories.^[55]

Notable Examples

One prominent example is the red-figure Apulian kantharos housed in the Walters Art Museum, dated to 320–310 BCE during the Hellenistic period. This terracotta vessel features a large female head as its primary decoration, a motif typical of Apulian drinking cups and small-scale vases produced in the region's Plain style, emphasizing elegant profiles and simplified forms. Crafted in South Italy, it exemplifies the adaptation of Greek pottery techniques in Italic contexts, with the red-figure technique highlighting the head against a black-glazed background.^[55] A notable silver kantharos from the Vassil Bojkov Collection in Sofia, Bulgaria, dates to approximately 420–410 BCE and showcases intricate mythological scenes on its body. One side depicts the death of Orpheus, the legendary musician torn apart by Maenads, while the opposite illustrates the abduction of Helen by Paris, rendered in finely chased silver repoussé work that captures dramatic tension and narrative detail. This Thracian or Greek-made artifact highlights the high level of metalworking in the late Classical period, blending Eastern Greek influences with local Balkan artistry.^[42] The black-glaze rattling kantharos, dated to around 350 BCE and held in the J. Paul Getty Museum, represents an innovative Attic ceramic form designed for auditory interaction. Its hollow lip contains small pellets—likely akin to pebbles—that produce a rattling sound when the vessel is tilted, possibly serving as sympotic trickery to signal for more wine or enhance convivial entertainment during drinking parties. The exterior bears a gilt inscription dedicating it to Kastor and Polydeukes (the Dioscuri), with traces of red cinnabar on unglazed elements adding color, underscoring its role in both social and potentially ritual contexts.^[27] From the ancient site of Eleon in Boeotia, the sphinx kantharos, excavated by the Eastern Boeotia Archaeological Project, features preserved decoration with two antithetic sphinxes whose heads turn backward, accented by rosettes and reddish-purple pigment on their faces and bodies. Dated to the 6th or 5th century BCE, this vessel is attributed to the Horse-Bird Painter, an itinerant Athenian artist whose style blends Attic precision with Boeotian and Corinthian adaptations, marking it as the first known kantharos by this hand. Discovered largely in a medieval rubbish pit in the site's southeast trenches, it reflects local preferences for mythical creature motifs on everyday tableware.^[45]

Symbolism and Legacy

Association with Dionysus

The kantharos served as a primary attribute of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, often depicted alongside the thyrsos, a pine-cone-tipped staff symbolizing fertility and divine authority.^[56] This pairing underscored the vessel's role in representing the transformative power of wine, which induced ecstasy and offered a glimpse of immortality by transcending mortal constraints.^[2] In ancient Greek art, such as Attic red-figure pottery from the 5th century BCE, Dionysus is frequently shown holding the kantharos while reclining or in procession, emphasizing its integral connection to his identity as a deity of revelry and vegetation.^[57] The kantharos also embodied symbolism of rebirth, with its form linked to Dionysus's associations with cyclical growth and renewal in nature.^[56] In Dionysian cult practices, the kantharos held a central position, used in rituals promoting fertility, theatrical performances, and mystery rites that explored themes of death and resurrection.^[58] Devotees employed it in libations and ecstatic ceremonies to invoke the god's blessings for agricultural abundance and spiritual enlightenment.^[56] Additionally, in syncretic Greco-Egyptian contexts, the kantharos connected to resurrection symbolism via the scarab beetle—etymologically related to its name and emblematic of rebirth—further aligning it with Dionysus as a deity of renewal, akin to Egyptian gods like Khepri.^[59]

Influence in Later Periods

In the Roman period, the kantharos persisted as the cantharus, a vessel closely tied to Bacchic cults honoring Liber, the Roman counterpart to Dionysus, where it served as a ritual drinking cup symbolizing wine's transformative power in mystery rites.^[60] This form appeared in funerary contexts across the empire, notably in Roman Egypt, where kantharos cups featured prominently in the iconography of mummy masks from Deir el-Bahari. Excavated between 1893 and 1929, these 28 masks depict the deceased holding a kantharos in the right hand, often paired with floral garlands in the left, blending Greek naturalistic portraiture with Egyptian motifs like Sokar barques and Anubis jackals to evoke resurrection and elite status within Dionysiac-Osirian syncretism.^[61] During the Medieval and Byzantine eras, the kantharos's Dionysiac associations with wine and rebirth influenced Christian symbolism, particularly in chalices representing the Eucharist. Dionysos's intimate link to wine was reinterpreted as a precursor to Christ's blood in the sacrament, evident in Byzantine textiles like a fifth-century linen tunic from Panopolis featuring Dionysiac scenes for apotropaic protection and Eucharistic parallels.^[62] A striking example is the Cup of the Ptolemies, an onyx kantharos carved in Hellenistic Alexandria with vines, satyrs, and masks symbolizing ecstasy and renewal; by the Middle Ages, it was mounted in gold with Christian inscriptions and repurposed as the chalice of Saint Denis at the Abbey of Saint-Denis, transforming pagan motifs into emblems of resurrection through the Eucharist before its relocation to the Bibliothèque nationale de France.^[63] In modern times, the kantharos has seen revival in neoclassical art through reproductions of ancient forms, such as 19th-century bronze Grand Tour cups modeled after Pompeian originals, reflecting renewed interest in classical antiquity during the Enlightenment. Its legacy endures in contemporary wine culture, as seen in "Kantharos Gatherings" at Dexamenes Seaside Hotel in Greece, where artist-designed tastings in a former 1920s winery invoke the vessel's sympotic origins to bridge ancient rituals with modern oenological experiences.^[64]

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[28]
Wine, Women, and Wisdom: The Symposia of Ancient Greece
One of Plato's great works, also called the Symposium, examines the nature of love. Written around 375 B.C., it reveals the central importance of the feast to ...The Feast Begins · Rites And Forfeits · Wine, Women, And SongMissing: literary | Show results with:literary<|separator|>
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The symposium in ancient Greek society | Department of Classics
Jun 18, 2018 · Wine was drunk from a variety of cup shapes, including a deep and high-handled kantharos or the wide and shallow-bowled kylix. In the ...
[30]
[PDF] The Role of the Other in the Ancient Greek Symposion - VTechWorks
Jun 6, 2023 · Aristophanes, Wasps, ed. and trans. by Jeffrey Henderson (Cambridge ... kantharos from around. 500 BCE in the New York Metropolitan ...
[31]
Wining and Dining in Ancient Greece | Department of Classics
May 23, 2018 · Ancient Greeks typically ate two meals a day. For elite members of ancient Greek societies, meals were prepared and served by slaves under the supervision of ...
[32]
Drinking cup (kylix) with Dionysiac scenes – Works - MFA Collection
A bearded and wreathed Dionysus extends a stemless high-handled cup (kantharos) over an altar in order to pour a libation as a liquid sacrifice.
[33]
Kantharos; studies in Dionysiac and kindred cult - Full View
Kantharos; studies in Dionysiac and kindred cult. About This Item. Elderkin, G. W. (George Wicker), 1879-1965. ... Download. Format. Ebook (PDF). Text (.txt).
[34]
The Material Record: Grave Goods | Florida Scholarship Online
On a symbolic level, feasting and drinking (and especially the symposion) were equated with wealth and leisure. Thus the placement of drinking/banqueting ...
[35]
Dionysus – The God of Ecstasy - CoinsWeekly
Oct 14, 2009 · Dionysus's head is crowned with ivy, he is holding the kantharos ... You see, Dionysus was not just a god of official, urban cults. A secret ...Missing: purification | Show results with:purification<|separator|>
[36]
Terracotta kantharos (drinking cup with high handles) - Greek, South ...
The Dionysiac references here include the ivy tendril on the shoulder and the satyr heads under the handles.Missing: common ancient sources
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[PDF] SENSING HERMAPHRODITUS IN THE DIONYSIAN THEATRE ...
The kantharos could also symbolise banqueting and is often held by Dionysus or his representatives. Moreover, these cups frequently bore. Dionysian themes.
[38]
kantharos | British Museum
Object Type: kantharos · Museum number: 1876,0328.5 · Description: Pottery: black-figured kantharos with donkey-head attachment. Purple and white accessories.Missing: sources | Show results with:sources
[39]
[PDF] ATTIC WEST SLOPE VASE PAINTING
The grape bunches above the stem are lacking, but the tendrils associated with them are present. A bowl-kantharos in Wiirzburg (5), a miniature bowl from the.
[40]
Unseen Silver Kantharos with Theseus, Rhyton with Silenus Shown ...
Mar 19, 2018 · These are said to be the only two known ancient vessels of their kinds with depictions of Orpheus. “Through the magnificent ancient ...
[41]
Unseen Kantharos with Sacrifice of Golden Fleece Ram Features as ...
Mar 20, 2018 · A silver kantharos (ancient cup) showing the sacrifice of the sacred golden ram that transferred twin siblings Helle and Phrixus to Colchis is the centerpiece ...
[42]
kantharos | British Museum
Kantharoi Type B1 have lotus flowers and lotus buds on the interior (Williams 1983, 169). Many kantharoi Type B have painted inscriptions beneath the rim and ...
[43]
The Riddle of the Eleon Sphinx Kantharos | EBAP Excavations
Sep 3, 2021 · This particular kantharos was decorated with rosettes and sphinxes and could be attributed to a known artist, the Horse-Bird Painter.
[44]
The Iconography of Kantharos Cups on Roman Period Egyptian ...
Jun 7, 2022 · ... Type A with. a curved bowl, torus foot, and short stem. Type D ... Sessile kantharos is characterized by handles. and bowl much as in T ...
[45]
Athenian Vase Painting: Black- and Red-Figure Techniques
Oct 1, 2002 · Their pictorial decorations provide insights into many aspects of Athenian life, and complement the literary texts and inscriptions from the Archaic and, ...
[46]
Kantharos, Greece ^ Minneapolis Institute of Art
Since few ceramic examples of kantharoi survive, it is believed that they were more usually made of bronze, silver, or gold. ... Ancient Greek. Rights.Missing: origins | Show results with:origins
[47]
[PDF] The Colors of Clay: Special Techniques in Athenian Vases
... type A, cat. no. 48. PAGE iv: White-ground lekythos with second white, cat ... Attic Vases in the J. Paul Getty Museum. 8. Jeffrey Maish, Marie Svoboda ...
[48]
Ancient Greek vase production and the black-figure technique
This video illustrates the techniques used in the making and decorating of a black-figure amphora (storage jar) in the Art Institute of Chicago's collection.
[49]
kantharos | British Museum
Kantharoi Type B1 have lotus flowers and lotus buds on the interior (Williams 1983, 169) and many kantharoi Type B have painted inscriptions beneath the rim; ...Missing: kalos | Show results with:kalos
[50]
Browse - Kerameikos.org
... kantharos, but the single handle spans from the upper part of the lower ... The amphora Type A has a flaring lip with concave sides, flat flanged handles ...
[51]
[PDF] Geometric Graves in the Panayia Field at Corinth
132 EG kantharos(?), rim fragment. Lot 2004-28:2. 133 EG kantharos(?), rim fragment. Lot 2004-29:10. 134 EG one-handled cup, rim fragment. Lot 2003-12:6 ...
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[PDF] TEN HELLENISTIC GRAVES IN ANCIENT CORINTH
It must be noted that there are as yet few examples of the shape. The kantharos from the Anaploga manhole still appears to be the earliest example of the form.
[53]
Terracotta kantharos (wine cup) with a satyr's mask on both sides
The kantharos was associated closely with Dionysos, god of wine. Examples with a face on both sides were often produced in the East Greek cities of Asia ...
[54]
Kantharos (Drinking Vessel) with Female Head
Kantharos (Drinking Vessel) with Female Head, 320-310 BCE (Hellenistic) ... Geographies. Italy, Apulia (Place of Origin). Measurements. 8 1/8 in. (20.64 cm);Missing: BC | Show results with:BC
[55]
Silver Kantharos with the Death of Orpheus, Vassil Bojkov Collection
Jul 9, 2019 · Silver kantharos with the death of Orpheus and the abduction of Helen. 420-410 BCE (Vassil Bojkov Collection) Photographer: Marin Karavelov ...Missing: Greek | Show results with:Greek
[56]
DIONYSUS (Dionysos) - Greek God of Wine & Festivity (Roman ...
Death and reincarnation was an important part of the Dionysian cult. The story of the binding of Hera, in which Dionysos led Hephaistos back to Olympos to ...
[57]
Thyrsus | Mystery Cult, Dionysus, Rituals - Britannica
Oct 27, 2025 · His personal attributes were an ivy wreath, the thyrsus, and the kantharos, a large two-handled goblet. In early Greek art he was ...
[58]
Dionysus God: Unveiling the Mysteries of the Divine Deity
In ancient Greek art, Dionysus was usually depicted accompanied by the following attributes: Thyrsos: a staff or wand topped with a pine cone or ivy leaves. ...
[59]
Kantharos - wein.plus Lexicon
Jul 2, 2024 · The kantharos and the thyrsos staff are central symbols in the cult of Dionysus, embodying his aspects as the god of wine, fertility, theatre ...
[60]
The Iconography of Kantharos Cups on Roman Period Egyptian ...
Ancient Greek cups were usually remarked with two handles. Cups, which were variable in shape and size, were sometimes used for one or more sore sort of ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[61]
Mystery Cults in the Greek and Roman World
Oct 1, 2013 · A pendant to the official cults of the Greeks and Romans, mystery cults served more personal, individualistic attitudes toward death and the afterlife.
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Popular Religion: Magical Uses of Imagery in Byzantine Art
Sep 1, 2008 · Furthermore, Dionysos' intimate association with wine was seen as a symbol of the Eucharist. The presence of Dionysiac imagery on such garments ...
[63]
The Cup of the Ptolemies: Ancient Masterpiece Turned Medieval ...
Sep 5, 2025 · Dionysiac Symbolism. The imagery on the cup connects it to the cult of Dionysus (Bacchus), a god associated with wine, ecstasy, and rebirth.
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https://www.thegreekfoundation.com/art/kantharos-gatherings-artist-designed-wine-tastings-in-dexamenes-seaside-hotel