Geometric Terracotta Krater in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oct. 2007

Terracotta krater
Greek, Attic, Geometric, ca. 725 BC
Attributed to the Trachones Workshop

Accession # 14.130.15

Like its counterpart, 14.130.14, this krater served as a funerary monument and shows the same primary subjects, the prothesis– or laying out of the deceased surrounded by mourners– and chariots in procession. In this work, however, the deceased is shown with a long braid or pigtail issuing from his head; this same detail appears on the warriors standing to the right, suggesting that it is either his braided hair or the crest of his helmet. Also noteworthy is the little, almost simian creature that seems to be attending to the warrior's head. Below the dead man sits a row of female mourners. Of the two subordinate zones, the upper one shows chariots drawn by two horses; the lower one shows a single horse per chariot. Foot soldiers are at a minimum. The bowl of the krater rests on a support that is taller and slimmer than that of 14.130.14 and is pierced at the top with square openings; their primary purpose was to prevent the piece from exploding in the kiln.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.