Pipe Bowl
CultureWendat (Huron), Ohio region
Dateca. 1750
MediumWood
DimensionsOverall: 2 1/4 × 2 7/8 × 1 7/16 inches (5.72 × 7.3 × 3.65 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Donald D. Jones
Object number2001.3.83
On View
On viewGallery Location
- 208
Collections
DescriptionA wooden pipe bowl in the shape of a seated figure holding a cylindrical object in its outstretched hands.Gallery LabelA number of early Eastern Woodlands sculptural works, notably pipe bowls, spoons and ladles, incorporate the image of a seated man holding a keg of liquor. This unusual pipe is set apart by the mask-like appearance of the figure's face, which bears a strong resemblance to ceremonial masks created by the Delaware and Iroquois peoples. This suggests the figure represents a guardian spirit, facing the smoker. Among the Wyandot and related groups, liquor obtained in trade, particularly rum, was used within a ceremonial context to enhance visionary experiences.
Torrence, Gaylord, ed. Continuum: North American Native Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. Kansas City: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
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