I vasi del simposio tra rito e mito

The wide range of drinking vessels developed by potters since the Geometric period offers one of the best indications of the particular value of the symposium in the ancient Greek world. So much creativity is not surprising, given the high appreciation for the shapes of vases; comparable, if not even better, to the appreciation of the ceramics’ painted decoration. Among the vessels, the krater was undoubtedly the most significant, followed by the cup. The name of the krater makes explicit reference to its function, which was to mix pure wine, the alcohol content of which was particularly high in the ancient world, with water. Drinking wine mixed with water was a fundamental rule of the symposium, well reflected in the centrality of the krater in relation to the encircling participants reclining on klinai. Greek painted pottery is characterized by a marked tendency for self-reference. Symposium and komos scenes are thus often represented on drinking vessels, and these scenes are an appropriate occasion for showcasing the vessels, and pointing out their association with the elite.