The killing of the Thracian musician Orpheus by the women of Thrace is shown on the side of a kantharos. The furious women on the left are preparing to murder the musician with a double axe and a stone. He tries to escape to the right. He raises the lyre with his right hand at the same time to avoid their fury and the ensuing fatal strike. Tattoos (asterisks, zigzags, and horizontal lines) are a distinguishing feature of the Thracians and are visible on the female bodies.

This exceedingly rare and priceless artefact was discovered in Thrace. It is believed that the vase was made in a North Aegean workshop that was influenced by Athens because of its shape and iconography, which resemble Attic clay vases. Owning such a thing reveals how important the owner's social status is. When Athens sought solid alliances with the Odrysian kingdom during the Peloponnesian War, it might have been either (a) a diplomatic present to Thracian elites or (b) a method of payment given the precious metal used in its production. Such a gift would be chosen with the objective of both impressing the receiver and making the giver's good intentions known at the same time. Last but not least, the mythological theme selected is intimately related to Thracian culture and would be a motif that is clearly recognizable.