The ancestors of the Waccamaw Indian People grew and smoked tobacco (Nicotiana spp.), and when they met European explorers, shared their knowledge of this valuable plant, leading to the global popularity of tobacco smoking in historic and modern times. Archaeologists have used residue analyses to discover tobacco residues in prehistoric pipes, and tobacco seeds have been radiocarbon dated to over 1,000 years old. Pipes were made from clay or stone, including catlinite, also known as pipestone, which is not available locally. Quarries can be found in Minnesota, Utah, or Wisconsin. Pipes such as this one are used for ceremonies and must be treated in special ways. It is important that information about the pipe be shared orally – not written down.
Please listen to the audio for more information about this pipe.