The vase depicts a komos scene, a scene depicting the return from a symposium. How did men and women have fun in ancient Greece? In a very different way compared to us! Symposia were informal gatherings of friends which belonged to the aristocracy and gathered in order to celebrate and enjoy themselves. These gatherings were exclusively a male activity. Women supervised the preparation, but they did not have the right to participate. The only women who could attend were the musicians and dancers. In ancient Athens, distinctions between the two sexes and among social classes were sharp, even in entertainment.

Time Period: 500 BCE – 1 CE

Size: H. 47 cm

Artist: Unknown

Material: Clay

Institution: Museum of Cycladic Art