Pipe · Mississippian
Elbow pipe
900–1700 CE, Mississippian, Fort Ancient
The elbow pipe is the L-shaped smoking pipe of the Mississippian and Fort Ancient East, about 900 to 1,700 CE, continuing into Historic times in catlinite. It was made of stone or clay and often carved as an effigy. It is the common pipe form of the late prehistoric period.
| Object | Pipe |
|---|---|
| Dates | 900–1700 CE |
| Period | Mississippian |
| Cultures | Mississippian, Fort Ancient |
| Regions | North America — Eastern Woodlands, North America — Southeast |
Diagnostic traits
L-shaped stone or clay pipe with the bowl set at an angle to the stem hole; Historic forms continue in catlinite.
Identification
Elbow pipes have a bowl set at an angle to the stem hole and a short stem, unlike platform pipes, which have a long flat base, and tubular pipes. Mississippian examples in limestone, sandstone and fire clay are often effigies; Historic catlinite pipes have a prow and a longer stem. Clay elbow pipes are shell-tempered.
Reproductions and fakes
Stone elbow pipes are reproduced from soft stone and stained; genuine examples show reed-drilled bores and bowl cake. Catlinite pipes are still made today and are legitimate craft, but should not be sold as prehistoric.
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Elbow pipe" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/elbow-pipe. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-elbow-pipe,
title = {Elbow pipe},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/elbow-pipe}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.