Water pipe

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.