Demitasse - Horses & Students

The hunting teacup isn't the only horsey teacup in my china cabinet. I have a second, smaller one that I found in an antique shop.

It's actually a demitasse cup. A standard teacup holds a cup of liquid; a demitasse hold a half cup.

Having taught Greek roots and mythology to my students, the red and black coloring (typical of early Greek art) caught my eye before the horses did.

Sure enough, this demitasse cup was made in Greece.

It wasn't until I took these photos that I realized that the horses are actually in pairs, not singly as I'd always thought.

The long red symbol reminds me of the Rod of Asclepius or a Caduceus, both of which are associated with Greek mythology and, in modern times, with medicine. 

I used to bring the Greek demitasse cup into my classroom as an example of Greek artwork. As a result, not only does it represent my love of horses, it also is a reminder of some pretty special times with students in my classroom.