Water pipe
Angola, Lunda
not available anymore
Provenance
Marc Leo Felix, Brussels, BelgiumZemanek-Münster, Würzburg, 27 November 2010, lot 578
Christian Franke, Murrhardt, Germany
Size
H: 42 cm
H: 16.5 inch
Description
gourd, reddish brown patina, black pigment, in the shape of a calabash serving as container for water, smoke tube from bamboo, metal base.
Just like earth and tube pipes the water pipe was already known in Africa before the tobacco came to arrive. The water pipe was brought along by arabian and persian merchants within the first centuries AD. Although lateron they were used for smoking tobacco as well, they predominantly served for the enjoyment of cannabis which is why their distribution was restricted on the area of East-, South- and Central Africa.
Comparing literature
Mildner-Spindler, Roma, Rund um Tabakspfeifen, Berlin 1992, p. 19Publications
AHDRC: 0150349