Komast Cup
Encyclopedia
The Komast cup is a cup shape at the beginning of the development of Attic
drinking cups
.
Drinking cups were introduced to Greece from Levant
ine predecessors. Komast cups were a development of such Levantine cups, which were widespread especially in Ionia
and Corinth
. Like other vase painters of the time, the Attic painters were under strong influence from Corinthian vase painting. The typical hemispherical shape with a distinguished lip and a low foot of only 1-2 cm height was an Attic development. The interior of the cups is black, only a narrow stripe or band below the lip is left in the base clay colour. The foot and the exterior of the handles are also black. The first specimens were quite large, but throughout the period of their production, the cups became gradually smaller.
The most important painters of Komast Cups formed the so-called Comast Group
, with the KX Painter
as its most significant member. The name is derived from the artists’ preferred theme, the komos
, a motif closely connected with Etruscan
vase painting.
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
drinking cups
Kylix
Kylix may mean:* Kylix , a genus of snails in the family Drilliidae.*Kylix , a type of drinking cup used in ancient Greece*Kylix , a programming tool...
.
Drinking cups were introduced to Greece from Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ine predecessors. Komast cups were a development of such Levantine cups, which were widespread especially in Ionia
Ionia
Ionia is an ancient region of central coastal Anatolia in present-day Turkey, the region nearest İzmir, which was historically Smyrna. It consisted of the northernmost territories of the Ionian League of Greek settlements...
and Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
. Like other vase painters of the time, the Attic painters were under strong influence from Corinthian vase painting. The typical hemispherical shape with a distinguished lip and a low foot of only 1-2 cm height was an Attic development. The interior of the cups is black, only a narrow stripe or band below the lip is left in the base clay colour. The foot and the exterior of the handles are also black. The first specimens were quite large, but throughout the period of their production, the cups became gradually smaller.
The most important painters of Komast Cups formed the so-called Comast Group
Comast Group
The Comast Group was a group of Attic vase painters in the black-figure style. The works of ist members are dated to between 585 and 570/560 BC....
, with the KX Painter
KX Painter
The KX Painter was an Attic black-figure vase painter. He was active between 585 and 570 BC.thumb|A tripod [[exaleiptron]] by the KX Paibter, circa 580/570 BC, found in [[Aegina]]; now [[Louvre]] CA 927....
as its most significant member. The name is derived from the artists’ preferred theme, the komos
Komos
The Komos was a ritualistic drunken procession performed by revelers in ancient Greece, whose participants were known as komasts. Its precise nature has been difficult to reconstruct from the diverse literary sources and evidence derived from vase painting....
, a motif closely connected with Etruscan
Etruscan
-Etruscan civilization:*Etruscan alphabet*Etruscan architecture*Etruscan art*Etruscan cities*Etruscan civilization*Etruscan coins*Etruscan language*Etruscan mythology*Etruscan numerals*Etruscan society*Etruscan terracotta warriors*Etruscan warfare...
vase painting.