Tobacco pipes

 

First the information on tobacco was registered more than three millenniums ago. And if to consider the kept information about civilizations of Maya and Aztecs of the Central America the whole history of tobacco and pipes comes from that territory.

With the lapse of time America was divided into several regions in which tobacco got different position in dependence on traditions and the level of development of the tribe. The most interesting history tobacco got in the civilization of Aztecs and Indians of the North America where the culture of tobacco smoking became well-developed. And the pipes that were discovered in the tombs and that didn't get into the museums are highly valued among private collectors. The clay and stone pipes that often have the images of animals and people are selected carefully. And they are valued not only from historical point of view but also from artistic point of view.

The most spread pipes in the middle part of the Northern America were the pipes with the cup from the soft red stone that Indians called "the smoking stone". We know this stone as pipestone. By the way the peace pipes that are known all over the world were made from this stone.

The pipes connected with tomahawks are rather interesting. After the work with tomahawk it was possible to have rest and smoke for a second.

In other parts of the Southern America pipes were usually made from the wood of the tropical trees because of the natural conditions and maybe traditions. Many pipes were made in the form of people's figurines and other creatures as in North America. But there were also unusual and original pipes as, for example, pipes of pre-Columbian epoch made in the form of "Y".