Experimental Archaeology with the Kylix: Drinking and Playing Kottabos Heather F. Sharpe and Andrew Snyder, Department of Art + Design, West Chester University of PA Next, we produced two modern versions of In our experiments of playing kottabos and drinking with kylikes the issues of moderation Introduction! traditional kottabos targets: a kottabos stand (fig. 7) Fig. 7. Apulian krater, early Results! and self-control took on new meaning. Playing kottabos while sober required skill; after for κóτταβος κατακτóς and a bowl with floating 4th century B.C.E. (Bologna, drinking 2-3 kylikes of wine it would be considerably more challenging. Similarly, the use of a Museo Civico Archeologico The co-authors of this study have turned to experimental archaeology to gain a fuller dishes (fig. 8) for κóτταβος δι’ ξυβ ϕων (Ath. G 250 / PU 425).! Prof. Snyder made three ceramic kylikes of varying diameters: 23 cm (c. 9 inches), 32 cm (c. 12 kylix cup during the symposium demands a certain dexterity whether using it for drinking understanding of some key elements of the Greek symposium (figs. 1-2). A few questions 15.665d-668f). The goal of the game was to knock inches), and 40 cm (c. 16 inches) (fig. 13 ). All were functional as drinking cups, but some or playing kottabos. Holding a kylix of wine requires control and balance; it is likely for this in particular motivated our research:! a metal disk (plastinx) off the kottabos pole or sink additional considerations may be posited regarding the choice of drinking cup size and shape: ! reason that many symposiasts hold the cup from underneath the foot (figs. 16-17). ! ! ! the small dishes floating in the bowl (Sparkes ! -  What skills are necessary to play the drinking game kottabos, and relatedly how 1960). We set up a modified version of an andron Fig. 8. Modern -  The largest kylix (40 cm) could be used as a drinking cup, but it was heavy and reproduction of cumbersome.! ! difficult is it to be successful?! and began our experiment with the enthusiastic -  Given the considerable array of sizes of one of the most common Greek drinking “kottabos in a bowl” -  The shape of the kylix, while aesthetically beautiful, is not the most practical; drinking ! assistance of some of our WCU art students and by Andrew Snyder. ! cups - the kylix - is there a size that is most convenient for drinking? ! faculty (figs. 9-10). ! one-handed while reclining (especially while drunk) must have been messy. ! ! -  Conversely, the kylix shape offers a broad, smooth expanse for painted imagery. Scenes ! on kylikes were clearly displayed for the delight and contemplation of symposiasts (figs. ! 14-15). ! !  ! ! Figs. 9-10. Professor ! ! Andrew Snyder (far left) and WCU participants ! ! playing kottabos.! ! ! ! ! Fig. 16. Symposium scene, kylix by The Foundry Fig. 17. Symposium scene, kylix by The Foundry Painter, c. 480 B.C.E Painter, c. 480 B.C.E. (Boston, Museum of Fine (Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum Loan 103.18, courtesy Lewis ! Arts 01.8034).! Results! ! ! Collection, Corpus Christi College).! Figs. 1-2. Symposium scene on an Attic red-figure kylix, signed by Hieron as potter, attributed to Makron, c. 480 B.C.E. (Metropolitan Museum of Art 20.246).! ! If ancient writers advocated control and moderation when consuming wine, the actions and Fig. 13. Kylikes made by Andrew Snyder.! Fig. 14. Chalcidian kylix c. 540-520 B.C.E. Watching our students and trying the game ourselves, we made some interesting observations: ! ! (Metropolitan Museum of Art 96.18.64).! conduct of symposiasts while drinking and playing kottabos might provide the first ! ! Fig. 15. Dionysos on a ship, kylix by indications of a loss of control. A symposiarch might reestablish control and direct the Experiment 1: Playing Kottabos! -  Control was essential; brute force did not result in hitting your target.! ! Exekias, c. 530 B.C.E. (Munich, Antikensammlungen 2044).! participants to more restrained behavior (Plato, Symposium 212c-214e; Davidson 1997, 48), or it may dissolve into bawdy and violent behavior commonly associated with the komos at -  As often mentioned by ancient authors (Ath. 15.667c; Rosen 1989, 355-356), a player must ! cock one’s wrist and snap the kylix forward in order to fling the wine dregs towards the the end of the symposium. Either conclusion was possible and to a degree acceptable. Capacity and alcohol consumption:! target (figs. 10-11).! ! According to Lissarrague, the symposium had a strong educational component as promoted To experiment with playing kottabos, Prof. -  One can imagine that as the drinking progressed, hitting a kottabos target would have -  Our 3D-generated kylix (14 cm) has a capacity of roughly 200 ml (6.8 oz.); a larger kylix by Plato (Laws 649d-650b; Lissarrague 1990, 9-10): “one comes to know individual characters Andrew Snyder produced kylikes utilizing a become more and more difficult. ! (23 cm) has an approximate capacity of 750 ml (Centre de Recherches en Archéologie in their true nature, in order to be able to make them better.” The extreme behavior that MakerBot 3D printer (fig. 3), basing his design on -  In a traditionally arranged Greek dining room (andron) with symposium participants reclining et Patrimoine).! could erupt was acceptable within the confines of the symposium and overseen by the an early 5th-century kylix (figs. 4-5). The kylikes on couches arranged along the periphery of the room, it must have been common to miss -  With a 1:2 wine to water ratio, a portion of wine would contain roughly 5% alcohol symposiarch (Lissarrague 1990, 9; Henderson 2000, 16-17). Nonetheless, moderation and were made with a PLA filament (a non-toxic the target but splatter your drinking companion seated opposite.! (Phillips 2000, 44). After consuming 2 large kylikes of wine (1500 ml), a 140 lb. man temperance were frequently promoted. ! corn-based resin) and measure 14 cm in would have a blood alcohol level of .086 (Wisconsin Department of Transportation) and  ! diameter and 6 cm in height (fig. 6). The small likely experience the following (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):! Drinking leads to wandering the streets drunk, and wandering the streets drunk leads to acting size was a consequence of the size limit of the •  Poor muscle coordination (e.g., balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and like a pig, and acting like a pig leads to a lawsuit, (and a lawsuit leads to being found guilty), MakerBot 3D printer, but the kylix produced is ! hearing) ! and being found guilty leads to shackles, stocks, and a fine.! comparable in size to smaller kylix cups. ! Fig. 3. MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer.! •  Impaired judgment, self-control, reasoning, and memory!   !!  ! !Epicharmus fr. 146 / Ath. 2.36c-d! ! ! At this point, our symposiast would surely have difficultly playing kottabos and in fact may find it  ! ! challenging drinking from a large kylix without spilling his wine.! ! References! ! Bury, R. G. ed. and trans. 1994. Plato’s Laws, books 1-6. Cambridge.! Murray, O. 1991. “War and the Symposium.” In Dining in a Classical Fig. 5. Attic kylix, signed by Hieron as potter, Fig. 10. Plate with woman playing kottabos, attributed to  ! Context, ed. W. J. Slater. Ann Arbor, 83-103.! attributed to Makron, c. 480 B.C.E. (Metropolitan Museum of Art 12.231.1).! The Bryn Mawr Painter, c. 480 B.C.E. (Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum 1960.350).! Fig. 11. WCU student playing kottabos.! Conclusion! Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2014. Effects of Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).  ! Olson, S. D. ed. and trans. 2012. Athenaeus,The Learned Banqueters. http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/impaired_driving/bac.html.! Cambridge.!  !  ! Experiment 2: Drinking with Kylikes! Drinking and playing kottabos were essential parts of the symposium. To the modern viewer such symposium activities are likely to be viewed purely as entertainment. Conversely, Centre de Recherches de Archéologie et Patrimoine. 2011. Calcul de capacité de recipients. Université de Libre du Bruxelles. http://crea.ulb.ac.be/Capacite.html. ! Phillips, R. 2000. A Short History of Wine. New York.!  ! Rosen, R. R. 1989. “Eubolos’ Ankylion and the Game of Kottabos.” scholars of Greek art and culture are aware that drinking wine at a symposium served an  ! The Classical Quarterly 39, no. 2: 355-359.! Davidson, J. N. 1997. Courtesans and Fishcakes: the Consuming  ! Fig. 4. Andrew Snyder’s kylix design made with Rhinoceros, a Greek kylix cups ranged considerably in size. Some of important social ritual. According to Oswyn Murray:! Passions of Classical Antiquity. London.! Sparkes, B. A. 1960. “Kottabos: An Athenian After-Dinner Game.” 3D modeling software program.! the smallest are 12 cm in diameter and the extremely !  ! Archaeology 13, no. 3: 202-207.! Henderson, W. J. 2000. “Aspects of the Ancient Greek Symposion.”  ! Fig. 6. 3D printed kylix (design based large Attic “parade cups” measure more than 50 cm Wine offers all the benefits of companionship; it serves as a test of character and reveals the Akroterion 45: 6-25.! Tsingarida, A. 2009. “Vases for Heroes and Gods: Early Red-Figure on kylix depicted in fig. 5).! (Tsingarida 2009, 186). Two of the most popular sizes truth; it teaches the virtues of moderation and self-control through a controlled exposure to  ! Parade Cups and Large-Scaled Phiale.” In Shapes and Uses of Greek danger; it entices men to virtue through pleasure (Murray 1991, 88).! Lamb, W. R. ed. and trans.1983. Plato’s Lysis; Symposium; Gorgias. Vases (7th-4th centuries B.C.): Proceedings of the Symposium Held at are cups 23 cm in diameter (c. 9 inches) and 32-33 cm Cambridge.! the Université libre de Bruxelles, 27-29 April 2006. Bruxelles, 185-201.! The co-authors of this study are indebted to the Department of Art + Design at WCU and in ! in diameter (c. 13 inches). But how functional were  !  ! they? Is it as easy to drink from a large kylix as it is Lissarrague, F. 1990. The Aesthetics of the Greek Banquet: Images of Wisconsin Department of Transportation. 2014. Blood/Breath particular Department Chair John Baker for his enthusiastic support. We are especially grateful! Wine and Ritual, trans. A. Szegedy-Maszak. Princeton. ! Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Calculator. to the WCU students whose energetic participation made this project possible.! from a smaller kylix?! Fig. 12. Attic red-figure kylix, c. 500 B.C.E. ! http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/safety/motorist/drunkdriving/ (Metropolitan Museum of Art 56.171.62).! ! calculator.htm.! !  ! !  ! Presented at the AIA - SCS Joint Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 8-11, 2015 ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !