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, polychrome underglaze painted in red-slip, black and cobalt blue |
| Brief description | Kalian (water-pipe base), fritware underglaze-painted with a hunting horseman in landscape, in red slip and cobalt blue with black outlines; Iran, 1650-1700. |
| Physical description | Kalian, or hookah base, depicting a horseman riding through a blue landscape in pursuit of a Chinese-style lion, painted in red slip and blue with black outline |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production | "Kirman Polychrome" type |
| Subjects depicted | |
| 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. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 615-1889 |
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| Record created | April 8, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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