The kantharos was discovered during the excavations of the Panskoye settlement in the Northwestern Crimea. The kantharos is a cup with a pair of high-swung handles used for drinking wine. It was one of the items associated with Dionysus, the god of wine. The bowl is large and wide at the top and somewhat tapered at the bottom, with slightly convex or usually concave side walls. The handles of the kantharos are similar in shape to those of the kyathos, a ladle used for pouring wine.
The foot of the kantharos, like that of the kylix (a low and wide vessel for drinking wine), could be high or low and have a narrow stem and a flat base. Like the skyphos (a wine cup), the kantharos remained almost unchanged over time. Some evolution in proportions can be seen. In the 4th century BCE, kantharoi were thinner and longer, compared to the 6th century BCE. At the same time, they also featured a significant outward curve of the upper edge, which was not typical of earlier vessels. Additionally, the lower part of later kantharoi became more intricate in shape.
In addition to the described traditional kantharos, this name was also used to refer to a cup with two vertical handles. These cups were often found in black lacquer pottery from the 4th to 2nd centuries BCE. They have a deep bowl, which is divided into two distinct sections. The upper walls are slightly concave, while the lower walls are convex. In later versions of the kantharos, the concave part was larger due to the presence of the convex part. The lower part of the bowl could be complemented by vertical ridges.
The foot of this type of kantharos consists of a short stem and a profiled base. The handles have a peculiar shape. They are arranged vertically and form a rounded arch that is attached to the upper and lower edges of the concave bowl walls. A large spike is located horizontally at the mouth of the vessel and is pressed against the arch from above.
Judging by the detailed description of this vessel provided by the archaeologist Vladimir Blavatsky, the displayed fragment is part of a classical kantharos. A gold-colored ivy-shaped pattern has been preserved on the bowl.
