Kapeleion : casual and commercial wine consumption in classical Greece
The symposion is consistently employed as the framework around which studies of classical Greek drinking are built, regardless of a body of archaeological and literary evidence to suggest that this type of drinking was enjoyed primarily by a small minority of the elite male, and perhaps predominantly Athenian, population. As a result, and in the absence of any alternative theoretical models, archaeologists faced with a large assemblage of drinking pottery invariably seek to fit their interpretation within the existing body of sympotic scholarship. This has led to all types of wine consumption being repeatedly described as âsympoticâ regardless of whether the excavated drinking material came from a stoa, sanctuary, military or domestic site. In addition, a blanket sympotic interpretation does not make room for the possibility that not all shapes of drinking cup would have been used in all drinking contexts. The kylix might have been the cup of choice in the symposion, but would it have found a place in a more practical âcasualâ or commercial tavern setting, or even in religious, military or everyday domestic drinking (rural and urban)? After a review of the literary evidence for kapeleia or taverns
Kelly-Blazeby, Clare Frances
Kapeleion : casual and commercial wine consumption in classical Greece. The symposion is consistently employed as the framework around which studies of classical Greek drinking are built, regardless of a body of archaeological and literary evidence to suggest that this type of drinking was enjoyed primarily by a small minority of the elite male, and perhaps predominantly Athenian, population. As a result, and in the absence of any alternative theoretical models, archaeologists faced with a large assemblage of drinking pottery invariably seek to fit their interpretation within the existing body of sympotic scholarship. This has led to all types of wine consumption being repeatedly described as âsympoticâ regardless of whether the excavated drinking material came from a stoa, sanctuary, military or domestic site. In addition, a blanket sympotic interpretation does not make room for the possibility that not all shapes of drinking cup would have been used in all drinking contexts. The kylix might have been the cup of choice in the symposion, but would it have found a place in a more practical âcasualâ or commercial tavern setting, or even in religious, military or everyday domestic drinking (rural and urban)? After a review of the literary evidence for kapeleia or taverns
casual commercial wine consumption classical_greece consistently employ framework around study classical_greek drinking build regardless body archaeological literary_evidence suggest type drink enjoy primarily small_minority elite male perhaps predominantly athenian population absence alternative theoretical_model archaeologist face large_assemblage drinking pottery invariably seek fit interpretation within exist_body scholarship lead type wine consumption repeatedly describe regardless whether excavate drinking material come sanctuary military domestic_site addition blanket interpretation make room possibility shape drink cup would use drinking context might cup choice would find place practical casual commercial setting even religious military everyday domestic drinking rural_urban review literary_evidence