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Kantharos

A drinking vessel in ancient Greece, which is also documented in Greek mythology as the drinking vessel of the gods. The cup-shaped vessel was vertically attached to two opposite, widely curved and raised handles, by which it was held with both hands while drinking. The kantharos was also used as a votive offering (votive from Latin votum = vow), which was offered in accordance with a vow (ex voto) at a holy place as a sign of thanks for being rescued from an emergency. It was also often used as a religious cult object. Together with the thyrsos staff, the kantharos was an attribute of the wine god Dionysus, with whom he was often depicted. The tondo (round image) on an Attic drinking bowl dates from 480/470 BC. The goddess Athena fills wine from an oinochoe (wine jug) into the kantharos of the hero Heracles.

Kantharos - Dionysos 5. Jhdt. v. Chr. und Herakles 480/470 v. Chr.

A kylix (mz. kylikes) was a much flatter drinking bowl in which, unlike the kantharos, the two handles did not protrude over the rim of the vessel. Some of these drinking bowls also had a higher foot, which served as a handle when drinking. Kantharos and kylix were often used at symposia (drinking parties with spirited conversations and games). The picture on the right shows a kylix made by the Greek potter Euergides, who lived in Athens in the last quarter of the 6th century and mainly produced bowls. At least twelve of his signatures on red-figure bowls have survived. Wine was poured into the kantharos from the bulbous crater (ancient wine jug). See also a complete list under Wine Vessels.

Kantharos - Kylix bei Symposion / Kylix von Eiergides

Dionysus: Jastrow, Public domain, Link
Kylix Symposion: By unknown, Image-PD-old, Link
Kylix Euergides: By ChrisO, Own Who, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

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