In Lakonia pottery and metalwork flourished particularly during the Archaic period (ca. 700–480 B.C.). Although the range of vase shapes was limited, the technical precision and, in some cases, the iconography link the potter's and the metalworker's products. Lent to the Museum periodically since 1981, this cup is a paradigm of Laconian vase painting. (The artist is named after two depictions of a boar hunt.) The potting here is fine and sharp. The interior shows, at left, a fully armed foot soldier, his spear on the far side and his shield behind him. His companion bends to put on greaves (shin guards). A shield leans on the "wall" behind him, and a cuirass occupies the center of the tondo. A bird and a bag for gear complete the picture. In the exergue two foxes frolic. The fame of Archaic Sparta lay in its military organization, which did not, however, preclude artistic creativity. This kylix displays beautifully both aspects of the city-state's renown.