Vessel · Iron Age
Etruscan bucchero kantharos
650–450 BCE, Etruscan
The Etruscan bucchero kantharos is the two-handled drinking cup in glossy black reduction-fired ware made in Etruria from about 650 to 450 BCE, with high strap handles and a tall foot. Early bucchero sottile is thin-walled and fine; later bucchero pesante is heavy and relief-decorated. It was exported across the Mediterranean.
| Object | Vessel |
|---|---|
| Dates | 650–450 BCE |
| Period | Iron Age |
| Cultures | Etruscan |
| Regions | Europe — Mediterranean |
Diagnostic traits
Two-handled drinking cup in glossy black reduction-fired ware with high strap handles and a tall foot; thin-walled early, heavier later.
Identification
Bucchero is black throughout the fabric from reduction firing, unlike Greek black-gloss, which is red clay with a black slip. Kantharoi have high loop handles and a flaring foot; incised fans, rouletting and stamped friezes decorate them. The surface has a metallic sheen.
Reproductions and fakes
Forged in modern kilns with a painted black surface over a red core; genuine bucchero is black through the break. Heavy restoration of handles and feet is common.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Etruscan bucchero kantharos" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/etruscan-bucchero-kantharos. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-etruscan-bucchero-kantharos,
title = {Etruscan bucchero kantharos},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/etruscan-bucchero-kantharos}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.