🍷 Rhyton

A rhyton is an ancient drinking vessel shaped like a horn or an animal's head. Such vessels have been known since deep antiquity in Greece, Persia and among the Thracians. They are usually made of clay, metal or horn, sometimes of gold and silver.

The main feature of a rhyton is a small hole at the bottom. Liquid runs out of it in a thin stream. People drank from it by lifting the vessel above the head and catching the stream with the mouth, or used it for ritual: wine was poured as an offering to the gods. The upper part is wide for filling, and the lower part is often shaped as the head of a deer, bull, lion or another animal.

The rhyton was a luxury object and was often used at feasts and rites. It is tied to wine: wine was drunk from it. Related to it is the wine horn, which was also used at feasts. Today rhyta are displayed in museums. They show how people have long given special meaning to drinking and decorated their vessels.