Clay pipes in Swedish politics and economy, 1650-1850

Summary

The use of clay tobacco pipes spread through the northern European populations during the first two decades of the seventeenth century and the joy of smoking did encounter hardly any social, economical or ethnical barriers on its way. Swedish population was introduced to smoking of tobacco already during the 1590 and by 1620s even the northernmost settlements were littered with pipe fragments. The 17th century tobacco pipes in Sweden were all imported, but since the early 18th century The Crown began to support pipe industry in the spirit of mercantile ideology. This created a typical recognizable Swedish clay pipe by the mid 18th century. Political symbolism was used in Swedish pipes since the beginning and it was in its peak during the late 18th century and were still used, for example, as a statement against new rulers during the Russian rule in the Grand duchy of Finland in mid 19th century.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014   •
• State formation in the Circumpolar North since the 15th century

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-34,03