Local Tobacco Pipe

This hand-formed pipe, dating to the second quarter of
the 17th century, was made from the Virginia red clay. It
has an octagonally facetted large bowl with chamfered
edges. The heel consists of a diamond-shaped pad with an
incised cross.
It is possible that Indians were producing local pipes
such as this for trade with the colonists. The pipe bowls
on Indian pipes are typically much larger than the
European bowls because the Indians did not think of the
tobacco pipe as a personal possession. Tobacco was smoked
as part of their religious rituals and ceremonies of
friendship where the pipe would be passed around and
shared with many individuals.