Tomahawk Peace Pipe

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I picked this up at the native American art show this past weekend I've taken it to some other people and had it confirmed it is real from the 1800s.
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Looks like the beer bottle opener just below the second braid is pretty worn down, it must have been involved in a lot of negotiation talks. Ha

Now to serious, I have not had a lot of personal contact and do not know a lot about Native American history artifacts, but looks like I am about to be connected with a Creek/Muskogee Nation Tribe member lady, so I am interested in learning as much as I can. I was not aware Native Americans were versed in metallurgy, and trying to understand how this device worked and was used. Could it be the top is a cup for smoldering "herbs", but if it was just putting an oder in the air? I do not understand the function of what looks like a tomahawk hatchet l below that would signify. Or if the top is solid or wrapable, could this be some kind of animal skinning knife and the top is actually the handle?

Can you give us (or me) a little more of what you have found out about this device of use and function? It would be interesting at least to me and appreciated.

Several years ago I was given as a gift a very intricate ceramic fired replica "Piece Pipe" by a very excellent and dedicated ex employee who was a Cherokee Native American. She was very explicit that it was a very authentic reproduction by a respected older tribe member. It is more than two foot long tube with very ornate inscribing. It has an "herb" holder bowl at the bottom. It has been mostly carefully packed away for several years, but taken out to admire at times. I might try to do some history of what it actually represents in detail with the inscriptions.

Yep the Red Man was documented being here (now USA) way before the Vikings were here several thousands of years ago, way before Columbus was almost jailed for suggesting the world was not flat in the 1400s. I never understood people who want to erase history just because they think differently.

Thanks for posting.
 
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Looks like the beer bottle opener just below the second braid is pretty worn down, it must have been involved in a lot of negotiation talks. Ha

Now to serious, I have not had a lot of personal contact and do not know a lot about Native American history artifacts, but looks like I am about to be connected with a Creek/Muskogee Nation Tribe member lady, so I am interested in learning as much as I can. I was not aware Native Americans were versed in metallurgy, and trying to understand how this device worked and was used. Could it be the top is a cup for smoldering "herbs", but if it was just putting an oder in the air? I do not understand the function of what looks like a tomahawk hatchet l below that would signify. Or if the top is solid or wrapable, could this be some kind of animal skinning knife and the top is actually the handle?

Can you give us (or me) a little more of what you have found out about this device of use and function? It would be interesting at least to me and appreciated.

Several years ago I was given as a gift a very intricate ceramic fired replica "Piece Pipe" by a very excellent and dedicated ex employee who was a Cherokee Native American. She was very explicit that it was a very authentic reproduction by a respected older tribe member. It is more than two foot long tube with very ornate inscribing. It has an "herb" holder bowl at the bottom. It has been mostly carefully packed away for several years, but taken out to admire at times. I might try to do some history of what it actually represents in detail with the inscriptions.

Yep the Red Man was documented being here (now USA) way before the Vikings were here several thousands of years ago, way before Columbus was almost jailed for suggesting the world was not flat in the 1400s. I never understood people who want to erase history just because they think differently.

Thanks for posting.
Me either, I'd love to hear about that.
 
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I will tell you the little that I know, first of all it is missing its handle. The handle would be hollowed out so you could actually put herbs or whatever you wanted and smoke it as a pipe. This piece pipe I was told was a trade item, the Indians didn't make it, but they were prized possessions. Now this is just pure speculation but this is not a tomahawk that a mountain man would probably want himself because of the quality. These were made to trade with the Indians. One of the people I talked to said it's probably French but I have no idea. I'll post a picture where it is actually splitting apart. If you'll Google piece pipe tomahawk you will see some beautiful representations of it. There is one that is called a bleeding heart, at the bottom of the heart it kind of hooks since mine does not do that I don't believe that it would be called a bleeding heart but it could be just another version.
 
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