Bell Krater (bowl for mixing wine and water): Torch Race

Ancient Greek athletic games took place in a religious context. On this mixing bowl for wine and water, competitors in a torch race run toward an altar with a man in priestly robes and the metal water jar (hydria) awarded to the victor. Reflecting actual practice, the youthful runners are shown nude (“gymnastics” comes from Greek gymnos, “naked”). Their bulky bodies and tiny genitalia express physical aptitude and sexual modesty. The olive tree at right suggests that the race honored the goddess Athena and was an Athenian event. The vessel was exported to Gela, a Greek city in Sicily (Italy).