Mycenaean Murex Kylix

Mycenaean Kylix with Murex Shells

During the Late Helladic III period (ca. 1400–1050 BCE), the kylix became one of the most characteristic drinking vessels of the Mycenaean world. Distinguished by its deep bowl, tall stem, and two handles, this elegant form was widely used throughout mainland Greece and the Aegean.

This particular kylix features a tall, striped stem supporting a broad bowl decorated with marine motifs, including sea anemones and murex shells. Such imagery reflects the close relationship between Mycenaean civilization and the sea, an essential source of food, trade, and prosperity.

The murex, a marine mollusk, was especially valued in antiquity as a source of the precious purple dye used to colour textiles.

Dimensions H : 19 cm, Max L: 23 cm

Handcrafted by ATTIC BLACK at the THETIS Workshop, this kylix belongs to a series of Mycenaean drinking cups first produced in 2011. The series was originally created as a special gift for the distinguished Cypriot archaeologist Professor Vassos Karageorghis (1929–2021), a dear friend and longstanding supporter of our work. His friendship and encouragement were a source of inspiration to the THETIS Workshop.