Nereus looks on from the right, and a Nereid, a long fillet in her hand, stands behind him. Before him, Thetis holds an oinochoe, or pitcher, from which she has filled or is about to fill his bowl, while also supporting her son’s shield. His helmet pushed back, Achilles is seated before a column, holding a spear in one hand and a libation, or offering, bowl in the other. This scene is believed to depict Achilles, the great Greek warrior of the Trojan War, at home with his mother, Thetis, her father, and Nereus, and a Nereid, or sea nymph. Behind him, another woman extends her hand as if to take his shield, which bears the image of a lion, its tongue extended. Since he hands his helmet, decorated with a leaping dolphin, to a woman wearing a diadem, or crown, who stands before him, he may be returning from battle. In the center stands a warrior, whose long spear breaks the picture plane into two parts. Revelling satyrs and maenads is a popular subject at this time, and similarly posed dancing figures are common.This type of krater, or bowl for mixing wine and water, takes its name from the resemblance of its shape to an inverted bell.

The third holds an aryballos by a string in his extended right hand. The one in the center gestures withhis right hand. The first holds a circular object (possibly a aryballos) in his extended right hand. On the back are three mantled youths, two to the right and the third to the left. She wears a peplos, diadem, earring, necklace, bracelets, and wreath, and holds a ribbon between her hands. On the right another maenad dances right, looking around. His right arm is extended back over his head, and in his left hand he holds a thyrsos. He also wears a fawn skin for a cloak and a wreath.

Next comes a satyr who goes right, looking around. Over her head she holds a thyrsos in her right hand, and in her left is a tympanum. She wears a peplos girded at the waist, bracelets, earring, wreath and possibly a necklace. In front of him a maenad dances right, looking around. On the left a satyr wearing a fawn skin for a cloak and a wreath stands to the right in his right hand he holds up a thyrsos from which an ivy vine hangs. This red-figure bell krater depicts satyrs and maenads revelling on the front.

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