Calyx-krater, fragments 540 BC

This is a fragment of a Calyx-krater by Exekias, a master potter and painter from ancient Greece, known for his black-figure pottery. Imagine it whole: a vessel used to mix wine and water at feasts. These weren't just any parties; they were symposia, gatherings exclusively for male citizens. As such, this object offers a lens into the gendered social structures of ancient Greece. The symposium was a space where male identity was performed and reinforced. The fragment depicts figures engaged in athletic competition; physical prowess being an ideal trait for men. Yet, it also hints at homoeroticism, a complex aspect of male relationships in that society. The image is rendered in black-figure technique, meticulously incised to reveal details. Consider the world implied here: a world of male bonding, competition, and the rituals of citizenship. The black figure technique, while beautiful, flattens and simplifies. What stories might we find in the shadows of this vessel?