Apulian Red-Figure Bell Krater

The Greek colonies of Southern Italy, known in antiquity as Magna Graecia, or “Greater Greece,” were marked by their initial allegiance to the ceramic styles of the Attic mainland. However, over the years, native traditions and innovations heavily influenced the works of Magna Graecian potters. Unorthodox forms and painting--styles were seamlessly merged with the standard Greek style, creating distinctive works of art unique to the Hellenistic world. Kraters are a group of vessels with wide mouths, a narrow, footed base, and handles. Foremost among the different types of kraters is the bell krater, so--called because it emits a pleasant ringing sound not unlike a bell when gently struck with a finger. Kraters were an essential piece of equipment in the symposium, a type of diner banquet immortalized by Plato where drinking and revelry were the encouraged activities.