Terracotta calyx-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water)

Obverse, Sleep and Death transporting the body of Sarpedon to Lycia
Reverse, youths arming

The practice in antiquity of depicting scenes of profound seriousness on utilitarian objects is quite foreign to us today. In the absence of universal literacy and rapid communication, images played a major role in conveying and perpetuating important stories, traditions, and other kinds of information that assumed narrative form. The Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer were central to ancient Greek culture in many respects, beginning with the fact that these poems told of the heroes and exploits of a glorious past. At the same time, major elements of the poems, such as the gods and geographical locations, remained unchanged, thus giving mythical events an ongoing reality.
The scene on the obverse shows Hermes directing Sleep and Death as they bear Sarpedon, a son of Zeus allied with the Trojans, to his native Lycia for burial. It is especially notable that a story concerning an enemy of the Greeks should be featured on such a large and fine vase produced by one of the leading Athenian artists.
The subject on the reverse is an arming scene. The youths and their equipment are, in every respect, Athenian of the late sixth century B.C. The names by which they are identified, however, are of figures from the past.
The references and the possible interpretations of the decoration on the krater are complex and manifold. The one message that seems quite evident is the continuing effect of past glory on the present. The Athenian youths arming themselves and named for illustrious forebears have the potential to gain the renown of Sarpedon.