Stemless kylix cups were used for an ancient Greek event known as a symposium. It was an exclusively male party held at a private residence, with the only women allowed being high class prostitutes known as ‘herairai’. These events would be opportunities for typically higher-class men to drink and discuss philosophy, politics, poetry and contemporary topical issues. It was thought that the kylix cup would have been shared around the party and be a communal drinking vessel. Cups could be plain or highly decorated, depicting scenes from both everyday life and mythological references.
For more information on the Greek symposium tradition, please see our blog post: The Symposium in Classical Cultures
