Sotades Painter - Red-Figure Rhyton - Walters 482050 - Detail A

In ancient times, wine was thought to bring out the wild side of people, temporarily freeing them from the rules and structure of civilized life. This "rhyton," a drinking cup, is formed of two animals' heads: the left half a ram and the right half a donkey. Double-faced vases like this one evoked characteristics viewed as polar opposites. Rams were prized for religious sacrifices, while donkeys, symbols of potent sexuality, were never sacrificed because their flesh was too tough. Around the neck of the cub is a scene of satyrs cavorting.