Before the modern advents of trains and automobiles, trade between civilizations concentrated around the Mediterranean moved foremost by sea. While many bulk commodities such as timber and stone could be loaded directly aboard a ship with little preparation, other commodities such as spices, wine, and grain needed to be packed in individual containers for transport both at sea and on land and to prolong their lifespan. Pottery was first created in order to fulfill these practical needs. Over time, the art form evolved from large, unadorned commercial transport vessels to refined, specialized works in elegant shapes used to hold precious substances such as perfume or oils.An entire retinue of terracotta vessels dedicated to the rites of the dinner table began to appear. These pieces were based on the luxurious bronze and silver vessels that could only be afforded by the wealthy elite and were decorated with fanciful natural motifs and painted scenes of everyday life and celebrated myths. These wares were of such beauty that they themselves became prized commodities and were traded throughout the Mediterranean world; perhaps even for the very substances they were created to contain. These works are individually classified by their shapes and their form was inherently linked to their function, be it preparation, dispensation, or consumption.One of these specific types, kraters are large bowl-shaped vessels with wide mouths and two handles that stand on footed bases. Column kraters, named after their column-shaped handles, are the earliest style of kraters that were introduced into Athens from Corinth. Kraters were an integral piece of equipment used during the symposium, an ancient Greek dinner and drinking banquet immortalized by Plato. Symposia were hosted inside the private residences of the upper classes, held inside a special room complete with a floor that sloped into a central drain to facilitate cleaning the morning after. Music played by hired consorts and highbrow political and philosophical discussions were the main activities; although, as the evening transpired and the effects of the wine took over, more physical pleasure became the true focus. Wine would be diluted with water inside the krater before the mixed concoction would be dispensed to the individual revelers. Kraters were often decorated with painted scenes depicting groups of figures dining and relaxing, activities that paralleled the festivities of the symposia during which the vessels were actually used.This column krater is attributed to the artist known as the Boreas Painter, column kraters being the earliest version of the krater first imported from Corinth in the 6th Century B.C.. On the front, a nude standing satyr is depicted gesticulating towards a draped woman who holds a thyrsus. On the reverse is a young man, draped, carrying a walking stick. Ancient repair on the foot of the krater which broke off in antiquity and was reattached with three iron pins, substantial traces of which are preserved. Except for the ancient repair the piece is intact and in a fine state of preservation. Similar vessels were believed to be used as cinerary urns, and surely this piece would have made a splendid memorial if that was the case. However, considering the presence of a satyr, who often symbolize the effects of inebriation, in the composition suggests that this work was intended to celebrate life, not death. - (X.0042)

Antiquities
Ancient Greek