Bird-Head Rhyton Cup with Grape Clusters and Stemmed Scrolls
Tang dynasty (618–907), late 7th or early 8th century
China
China
A rhyton is a conical drinking vessel used in ancient Greece and the Middle East, typically made in the form of an animal’s head, with a hole at the bottom to drink from. In 7th-century China, potters transformed the rhyton to create distinctively local versions with closed bottoms that could be used like conventional cups.
Earthenware with molded decoration and sancai (three-color) lead glazes