Native America, Midwestern / Southern USA, Middle Woodland period, ca. 200 to 1000 CE. A fascinating pipe, hand-carved from greenish-gray stone to display a tubular shank with a petite airhole at one end and a raised bowl at the other. An anthropomorphic head adorns the end of the pipe, presenting an ovoid visage with recessed eyes, a button nose, and a large, open mouth, perhaps intended to mimic the facial expression of the smoker. A thick, elevated band wraps around the mid-section of the shank to increase gripping ability. Size: 5" L x 1.4" W x 2" H (12.7 cm x 3.6 cm x 5.1 cm)
Smoking pipes played an important role in Eastern Woodland culture, which spanned from sub-Arctic Canada to the southern United States. The earliest evidence we have for the use of tobacco in this area comes from ca. 100 to 200 CE; in addition to tobacco, and often prior to it, we know from ethnohistorical accounts that people smoked a variety of other plants, including dogwood, juniper, sumac, and bearberry. These pipes were not just made for the simple act of smoking; they seem to have had a strong religious component as well, and various archaeological sites from the period, including the Hopewell Mound sites, have the remains of hundreds of destroyed platform pipes, including effigy ones like this. Others were buried with their owners individually.
Provenance: private South Carolina, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance),
we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#171160
Condition
Surface wear as shown with nicks, chips, scratches, and abrasion throughout, commensurate with age and use. Otherwise, intact and excellent.