Pipe smoking

18 Jan Pipe smoking

Smoking a pipe is a way of inhaling the smoke of a burning substance, the most common is tobacco, but can accommodate almost any other substance. Pipes can be made from many materials here are a few of the most common Briar, Heather, clay, glass, acrylic and porcelain.

There are many types of pipes and all different shapes.

• BOWL —– are also known as water pipes/bongs
• CHIBOUK —– long stemmed pipe with clay bowl. Turkish origin often decorated with precious stones.
• CHILLUM—–which is a conical pipe originally from India
• HOOKAH—– tall pipe were the smoke is cooled and filtered by passing through water.
• CEREMONIAL —– this is used by native American peoples
• CHALICE —- used by Rastafari in rituals
• KISERU — a Japanese pipe used for very finely shredded tobacco
• TEC —– Thermal electric cooling pipe
• MIDWAKH —– a small pipe from Arabia

These are just a few I can name.

Pipe smoking was originally associated with the lower class, but it turned into a prestigious pass time and can be found in many paintings. A painting by artist Adriaen Brouwer named ” THE SMOKERS” (1636) show people sucking on pipes, whereas “THE MERRY COMPANY” (1620-1622) depicts three men and a woman around a table with a pipe in the centre, this is by Willem Buytewech.