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kantharos
Sign in to savethumb|upright=1.2|Red-figure pottery|Red-figure Apulian kantharos with a female head, 320–310 BC ([[Walters Art Museum)]] thumb|Silver kantharos with the death of Orpheus and the abduction of Helen, –410 BC, part of the Vassil Bojkov collection, [[Sofia, Bulgaria]] A kantharos (; ) or cantharus () is a type of ancient Greek cup used for drinking. Although almost all surviving examples are in Greek pottery, the shape, like many Greek vessel types, probably originates in metalwork. In its iconic "Type A" form, it is characterized by its deep bowl, tall pedestal foot, and pair of high-swung handl
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thumb|upright=1.2|Red-figure pottery|Red-figure Apulian kantharos with a female head, 320–310 BC ([[Walters Art Museum)]] thumb|Silver kantharos with the death of Orpheus and the abduction of Helen, –410 BC, part of the Vassil Bojkov collection, [[Sofia, Bulgaria]] A kantharos (; ) or cantharus () is a type of ancient Greek cup used for drinking. Although almost all surviving examples are in Greek pottery, the shape, like many Greek vessel types, probably originates in metalwork. In its iconic "Type A" form, it is characterized by its deep bowl, tall pedestal foot, and pair of high-swung handles which extend above the lip of the pot. The Greek words kotylos (κότῦλος, masculine) and kotyle (κοτύλη, feminine) are other ancient names for this same shape.
The kantharos is a cup used to hold wine, probably both for drinking and for ritual use in libations and offerings. The kantharos seems to be an attribute of Dionysus, the god of wine, who was associated with vegetation and fertility.