A krater (Greek κρητηρ, from the Greek verb κεραννυμι, "to mix.") was a vessel used to mix wine and water. At a Greek symposium, kraters were placed in the center of the room. They were quite large, so they were not easily portable when filled. Thus, the wine-water mixture would be withdrawn from the Krater with other vessels. In fact, Book Nine of Homer's Odyssey describes a sommelier drawing wine from a krater at a banquet and then running to and fro pouring the wine into guests' drinking cups. Since kraters could be seen into, they were glazed on the interior for aesthetic reasons.

Forms of Kraters

The column krater was invented in Corinth, but was taken over by the Athenians, where it is typically black-figure . Columns hold up the handleplate.

The calyx krater was probably invented by Exekias in about 525 BC. The form resembles the calyx of a flower.

The volute krater was an Attic shape that lasted through the 4th century BC. The handles are in the shape of a volute.

The bell krater looks like a bell. All bell kraters are red-figure.

For the landform crater, see Crater