Ancient Greek Apulian Terracotta Cup

Apulia was one of the regions in Southern Italy colonised by the Greeks. More than half of pottery vases recovered from Southern Italy come from Apulia, modern Puglia, and were potted in Tarentum, the major Greek polis of the region. The greatest output of Apulian pottery production occurred during the 4th century BC. Ancient Greeks started colonising the western Mediterranean sea from the 8th century BC until the 5th century BC, creating colonies in Southern Italy and Sicily: an area which would later be known as Magna Graecia, meaning ‘Great Greece’. Numerous Greek artisans and pottery makers moved to the colonies in Southern Italy, allowing the creation of a totally new artistic style, mixing local Italic traditions with Attic aesthetics.