The shape of this hookah base, with its elongated and slender base, could have been hand held or balanced within a support, standing upon the ground. The fine carving on this wooden example follows earlier coco de mer prototypes, and reflects the development of this shape in various mediums, which support the growing demand of smoking in Persia at this time. While tobacco was introduced into Persia sometime during the late 16th century, by the 17th century it had spread across the Empire, facilitating a host of smoking devices, most of which reflected this unique ovoid shape, which invariably became associated with Persian production.