Psykter facts for kids
A psykter (say "SIK-ter") was a special type of Greek vase used long ago in Greece. Its name comes from the Greek word for "cooler." It had a round, bulb-like body and a tall, thin base, looking a bit like a mushroom. People used psykters to cool wine, especially during fancy parties called symposia. These unique vases were only made for a short time, mostly between 520 and 480 BCE.
Why the Psykter Was a Fad
The psykter was only popular for a short time. This suggests it was more of a trend or a fancy item than a necessary tool. There were simpler ways to cool wine, so the psykter quickly became less important. It was also quite rare, meaning not many were made or have been found today.
Some people think it might have been used to avoid mixing dirty snow or ice directly into wine. However, this is unlikely because the alcohol in wine would have helped kill germs. It seems the psykter was a fun, stylish item that showed the host's good taste at a party.
How Psykters Cooled Wine
People usually cooled wine by adding cold water or snow-ice to a large mixing bowl called a krater. This method was used before and after the psykter's time. It is not entirely clear how the psykter itself was used, but it seems it was designed to float inside the krater.
There are two main ideas about how it worked:
- Wine in the Psykter: The psykter could hold wine, which would get cold as it floated in ice-cooled water inside the krater.
- Ice in the Psykter: The psykter could be filled with ice, which would then cool the wine floating around it in the krater.
If the goal was to chill wine to a temperature like 12°C (about 54°F), similar to how we chill wine today, then the wine would likely be in the krater and the ice in the psykter. This way, the wine would be cooled from the inside by the ice in the psykter.
However, if the ancient Greeks wanted the wine to be very cold, almost freezing, then the ice would go in the krater and the wine in the psykter. This would surround the wine almost completely with ice.
The first option, with wine in the krater and ice in the psykter, fits better with the ancient Greek tradition of mixing wine in the krater. It also would have been cheaper to fill the smaller psykter with ice rather than the larger krater.
Drinking from a Psykter
Ancient writings sometimes mention people drinking wine directly from a psykter. However, it's not clear if they were talking about this specific mushroom-shaped psykter. Even if they did, it was mainly a wine cooler, not a drinking cup.
See also
In Spanish: Psictero para niños
