The Development of the Tobacco Pipe Kiln
in the British Isles

From: Fernandinande of Lemuria <lemurama@mindXspring.com>

The first suggestion that these English pipes were modelled on
American examples appeared in 1605. De l'Ecluse added a footnote
to his abridged translation of Monarde's Las Indias Occidentales,
based on Hariot's account (Mackenzie 1957, 81).

In the year 1585...they found that the Inhabitants did frequently
use some Pipes made of clay, to draw forth the fume of Tobacco
leaves set on fire; which grew amongst them in great quantity, or
rather to drink it down, to preserve their health. The English
returning from thence (Virginy), brought the like pipes with them,
to drink the smoke of Tobacco; and since that time the use of
drinking Tobacco hath so much prevailed all England over,
especially amongst the Courtiers, that they have caused many
such like Pipes to be made to drink Tobacco with
(De l'Ecluse 1605, quoted in Mackenzie 1957)

Shaw points out the remarkable similarities between pre-contact
Mexican pipes and early English forms, suggesting parentage not
through direct contact but via diffusion of the type throughout
the south-eastern area of the United States (Shaw 1960, 291).
Clearly, further research is required into pre-contact native
American pipe forms before such a statement can be evaluated.