Archaeology Terms
Kaolin Clay Pipe
This clay pipe fragment was found during a shoreline survey of an island in the Mississippi River in 1988. MVAC conducted the survey under contract with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which owns the land. Made of white kaolin, the pipe is 4.4 centimeters (cm) long (1.7 inches) and includes part of the pipe stem and about one-quarter of the lower portion of the bowl. The bowl is about 0.5 cm (.2 inch) thick, and its interior diameter is estimated at 2 cm (.8 inch). In cross section the stem is oval and measures about 1.25 cm (.5 inch) from side to side (A–A') and 1 cm (.4 inch) from top to bottom (B–B'). Below where the stem and bowl join is a nob or hub ribbed by mold marks. Unfortunately the pipe has no maker's mark, ornamentation, or designs.