Description

AN ATTIC BLACK-FIGURED EYE-CUP

Pottery wine cup decorated on both sides with a cockerel between
the eyes c. late 6th Century BC from Athens,

Diameter excluding handles 20 cms

Condition: Complete, professionally restored from several pieces.

Classified as kylikes in terms of shape, eye-cups were especially widespread in Athens and Chalkis in the second half of the sixth century BC. The bowl of the eye-cup rests on a short squat foot; both sides are dominated by large painted pairs of eyes under arched eyebrows. The eyeballs are painted in silhouette style in this case with tear ducts.

While used as a drinking vessel, due to the necessary inclination of the vessel, the cup with its painted eyes, the handles looking like ears and the base of the foot like a mouth, would have resembled a mask.  The eyes are assumed to have served an apotropaic (evil-averting) function.