Terracotta stemmed cup with murex decoration

Unknown

ca. 1400–1300 BCE · Terracotta · Greek and Roman Art

The murex shells and sea anemones decorating this kylix attest to the sea as an invaluable source of food, trade, and economic prosperity for the Mycenaeans. A type of mollusk, the murex was prized in antiquity for producing a purple dye that was used in textile production and Mycenaean wall paintings. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Minoans on Crete were already manufacturing purple from murex as early as 2000 bce.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1400–1300 BCE

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Helladic, Mycenaean

Department

Greek and Roman Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1912