18. Kylix Cup

Beware Pirates: Trading by ship was often more profitable than overland but pirates have always been a problem as this 6th C BCE cup shows. This item:  Pottery black-figured kylix or drinking cup.  A  merchant-vessel is sailing to the  right. Sailing towards it is a war-galley with mast and sail, prow in the form of a boar’s head, with two banks of rowers, four sailors furling sail, and steersman. The surface of the sea is shown by a wavy line. This scene may represent a pirate attack on the merchant vessel. This bowl is from 520 to 500 BCE and was made in Attica, Grteece and found in Vulci near Rome. It is dinner plate size, 20cm.