Terracotta lead-glazed scyphus (drinking cup)

Roman

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 171

Mold-made body, with applied handles. Pale green exterior and yellow-brown interior.

Vertical, rounded rim, with flaring band below on interior, forming horizontal ridge; convex-curving side, tapering to flaring base ring; flat base; two ring handles on upper body, with round stud at top and outward angular projection at bottom; above each ring, horizontal thumb-rest, flaring to straight ends and flanked by volutes and finials.

Decoration: matching pattern in relief on both sides; two vine tendrils with leaves and bunches of grapes, facing inward; at center, above ends of vines, a rosette with a central dot and eight pointed petals; tendrils hang from a large, vertical ribbon, round at bottom, whose top is concealed by the handle. Above decoration, two horizontal grooves; below, a raised horizontal line. Groove on bottom of base ring; raised circle around edge of base.

Most of one ring handle missing, but body intact. A jagged knob is attached to the interior near the bottom, which with two other spots form a triangle, indicating a kiln spacer tripod was placed inside the cup during firing.

Terracotta lead-glazed scyphus (drinking cup), Terracotta, Roman

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