Vase Catalog Number: Mississippi 1977.3.75

Decoration:

On Side A, two naked youths rush at one another. They each carry a club, swung back ready to deliver a blow, and have what appears to be a cloak over the other arm. The depiction of the combatants closely resembles that used on other cups, for example the Hermogenean skyphos (Mississippi 1977.3.70) which shows Herakles and the lion. A draped youth stands at the left watching. This battle is placed between cocks, and in turn the whole scene is framed by palmettes which grow from the handles. A nonsense inscription is placed between the combatants. Side B is the same except the spectator and the inscription are lacking.

Little Master cups are a favored cup form beginning in the mid sixth century. They are decorated in a distinct miniaturist style. On band cups such as this, the handle zone is reserved and decoration, generally comprised of one to three figures, is placed in its center. Palmettes almost always grow from the handles.

Inscriptions:

A nonsense inscription is placed between the combatants on Side A.

Collection History:

Once in the Robinson collection. Harvard Inv. no. 162.

Shape Description:

The Little Master cup becomes the most popular cup form in the middle and the third quarter of the sixth century. The shape is distinctive for its offset lip and high foot. There are two forms of Little Master cup, the lip cup and the band cup. The lip cup has a reserved lip, clearly articulated from the bowl. The band cup has a glazed lip which forms a gradual transition from the bowl.

Sources Used:

Boardman 1974

(Anne Harrison)