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Terracotta Megarian bowl

2nd century BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 161
This vase belongs to a select group of bowls decorated in relief with scenes from epic poetry and from Classical Greek tragedy. Depicted here are five scenes from Euripides's play Iphigenia at Aulis, including inscriptions that identify the figures. Represented are: Agamemnon, who has weakened in his resolve to sacrifice his daughter to Artemis, biding his slave to take a letter to his wife, Clytemnestra, instructing her not to send her daughter to Aulis; Menelaos, Agamemnon's brother, taking the letter from the messenger by force; Menelaos, with the letter in hand, blaming Agamemnon for refusing to go through with the sacrifice; a messenger, bringing news to Agamemnon that Iphigenia has arrived; and the cart that has come from Argos, bearing Queen Clytemnestra and her children, Iphigenia and the little Orestes. The story continued on a second bowl, examples of which are preserved, again with five episodes, concluding with Iphigenia's meeting with Achilles. It is likely that a third bowl brought the story to its conclusion with Iphigenia's sacrifice.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Terracotta Megarian bowl
  • Period: Hellenistic
  • Date: 2nd century BCE
  • Culture: Greek, Boeotian
  • Medium: Terracotta
  • Dimensions: h. 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm); w. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm)
  • Classification: Vases
  • Credit Line: Purchase, 1931
  • Object Number: 31.11.2
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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