Fig. 426. (S. about 1–6.) Found in 1886 near the Etowah Group of mounds, Cartersville, Georgia. Material, steatite. Height, 21 inches. Weight, 56½ pounds.

CHAPTER XXVI
GROUND STONE

STONE PIPES

Previous to the discovery of America, that strange custom of smoking was confined to the New World natives. There have been some vague references to inhaling of smoke by other ancient peoples elsewhere in the world. But these are still in the realm of doubt. Certain it is that the burning of tobacco, dried leaves, bark, etc., in stone, bone, clay, or copper receptacles was not known to any considerable number of men before Columbus set out upon his uncertain voyage, on an unknown sea.

There is an extensive literature dealing with pipes and smoking customs of America, and it is unfortunate that I am unable to produce more than a portion of what has been said by the early travelers, and later scholars and others, regarding this peculiar custom. However, there are two important publications accessible to all readers. The first was published by Mr. Joseph D. McGuire.[[9]] Mr. McGuire illustrates his paper with two hundred and thirty-one figures and five plates. The other paper was written by Mr. George A. West and contains seventeen plates and two hundred and three figures.[[10]] Mr. McGuire made a study of pipes and smoking customs throughout the United States; Mr. West, of the St. Lawrence basin and particularly Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Canada. These two publications will give readers abundant material for consideration, and because of their excellence, I have made this somewhat lengthy reference to them.

In addition to the monographs cited, there are numerous shorter articles scattered throughout various publications and reports. These will be found if readers refer to the Bibliography.

In the following pages, I follow the classifications made by Messrs. McGuire and West with very few changes. These must both stand as the best that have appeared on the subject up to the present time.

Fig. 427. (S. 1–1.) Stone pipe-bowl made of catlinite. Collection of the University of Toronto, Ontario. Found by Henry Montgomery in a mound in western Manitoba.