Pipe

A Tobacco Pipe is used to smoke tobacco. It generally consists of a bowl to hold the burning tobacco, a stem, and a mouthpiece. Many pipe affectionadoes collect interesting or exotic pipes made from a variety of materials.

The use of pipes to smoke tobacco was not uncommon in the late Medieval period and became widespread throughout the Renaissance. In Elizabethan times, unglazed pipes of fine white clay were commonly used for this purpose, some surprisingly small by modern standards.

Though the smoke is stronger and more aromatic, at SCA events smoking a pipe often is considered less offensive than smoking a cigarette, if only because it has a medievalish feel, likely an association with fantasies like The Lord of the Rings. However, as with all tobacco, smokers are generally encouraged to maintain a discreet distance from nonsmokers, owing to potential allergies and personal comfort levels.