Attic Black-Figure Volute Krater

Scenes from the world of myth and the world of humans decorate the neck of this Athenian black-figure volute-krater. The upper zone on one side depicts the battle of the gods and the Giants. In Greek mythology, the giants, the children of Ge (Earth) and Uranus (Sky), tried to overthrow the Olympian gods in a mighty battle. Only three gods are clearly identifiable here: Herakles with his lion skin, Athena with her snake-edged aegis, and Hermes with his special staff and winged boots. The lower frieze on this side shows various athletic contests: two runners in armor, a naked runner, a discus thrower, a javelin thrower, wrestlers, and trainers. The scene at the right shows a particularly bloody version of the pankration, a combination of wrestling and boxing in which anything was fair except biting an opponent or gouging his eyes out.

On the other side of the vase, the lower zone on the neck shows a group of warriors departing in their chariots. Departure scenes were popular in Archaic art, but this scene is more elaborate than usual.

The handles of this krater, a vessel used for mixing wine and water, are in the form of large curls or volutes, hence the name of this shape, a volute-krater.