Psykter
A psykter ( ancient Greek ψυκτήρ) is a type of vessel that was used in Attic workshops in the second half of the 6th century BC. BC was developed together with the chalice crater and was primarily used at the symposium .
The psykter has a mushroom-like shape and a deep, cylindrical and hollow base and was made in one piece. It was used together with the chalice crater: One of the two vessels contained snow or ice water for cooling, while the other held the unmixed wine. However, today it is not entirely certain which vessel held the wine and which held the coolant. Presumably the psykter was inserted into the crater and floated on the liquid. Pictorial representations in vase paintings also mostly show the psykter in the crater, which obviously contained the cooling mass, while the wine was drawn from the former container. However, there are also researchers who believe that it can be used in reverse, although this would have slowed down the cooling effect. Independent of this, the Psykter could also be set up on its own thanks to its stand.
The sometimes flat-bellied vessels were mostly without handles. However, there was also a variant with two small handles through which a cord was passed, with which one could lift the psykter out of the crater. Only the models with handles also had a lid. Most of the specimens are red-figure .
The term psykter comes from antiquity , but is not used in connection with this type of vessel. This connection was only established through research, as the Greek term ψυκτήρ is probably derived from the verb ψύχω (“to cool”).
Web links
literature
- Joseph Veach Noble: The Techniques of Painted Attic Pottery. Thames & Hudson, London 1988, p. 54.
- Andrew J. Clark, Maya Elston, Mary Louise Hart: Understanding Greek Vases. A Guide to Terms, Styles, and Techniques. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles 2002, p. 134 f.