Rhyton and Porrón

Another popular style of drinkware—already ancient to the Ancient Greeks—was the rhyton (ῥυτόν; pl. rhyta): a drinking vessel often shaped like an animal’s head. As with the kylix eye-cups, there was plenty of laughter when someone lifted an ass—or another creature—to their face. As one ancient poet put it: “...I have brought this long-eared jar full of wine. How it brays when I bend back and bury its neck in my mouth!”

Many rhyta were intentionally crafted with openings in the animals’ mouths. While this made them impractical for ordinary drinking, it allowed wine to pour gracefully (or not so gracefully) from the creature’s mouth—serving both in ritual libations and playful tests of coordination.

It’s said that the Greek and Roman rhyton eventually gave rise to the porrón—the beloved Catalonian and Spanish wine carafe whose long spout turns every sip into a small performance. Once praised as a hygienic way to share wine, the porrón quickly became something much more: a joyful test of coordination, a splash of spectacle, and a toast to friendship. So central is it to Spanish life that even Picasso couldn’t resist painting it—a fitting tribute to a vessel that celebrates both art and community in every pour.

Take a peek at a 17th century Spanish porrón from the Corning Museum of Glass collection and Picasso’s Still Life with Poron at the National Museum Cardiff, Wales.