Unknown Maker, Italo-Greek

This elegant black wine cup was in fact an inexpensive substitute for the expensive tableware of the time. The cup was covered in a slip (a fine, liquid clay) that turned a lustrous black in the kiln, making it resemble more costly silver versions. Known as a rattling kantharos, this cup has a hollow rim that contains a pebble. When the cup was empty, the drinker shook it, and the rattling would summon a server to replenish his drink. The superb condition of this cup suggests it was a burial gift.