Kalian
1650-1700 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This ceramic vessel is the base of water-pipe for smoking tobacco, known as a "kalian". The fashion for smoking tobacco in Iran became fashionable in the 17th century. This base contained water and was fitted with two long metal pipes, one to a cup holding burning tobacco and the other a mouthpiece; the smoke from the tobacco was drawn through the water to cool it. These are also known as hookah, huqqa, qalian, qalyan qaliyan, narghile, shisha and hubble-bubble.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Fritware, painted in underglaze cobalt blue and chromium black |
| Brief description | Kalian (water-pipe base), fritware with scrolling leaves pattern, underglaze-painted in black, grey and cobalt blue; Iran, 1650-1700 |
| Physical description | Kalian (water-pipe base), decorated around the body with continuous pattern of scrolling leaves in blue and black. A series of eight sketchy clouds is set around the lower part. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Association | |
| Summary | This ceramic vessel is the base of water-pipe for smoking tobacco, known as a "kalian". The fashion for smoking tobacco in Iran became fashionable in the 17th century. This base contained water and was fitted with two long metal pipes, one to a cup holding burning tobacco and the other a mouthpiece; the smoke from the tobacco was drawn through the water to cool it. These are also known as hookah, huqqa, qalian, qalyan qaliyan, narghile, shisha and hubble-bubble. |
| Bibliographic reference | Crowe, Yolande. Persia and China. Safavid blue and white ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum 1501-1738. London: Thames & Hudson, 2002. ISBN 0-9538196-1-2 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 411GG-1880 |
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| Record created | June 18, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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