Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a mouthpiece of a pipe bearing a poetic inscription, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Pipe mouthpiece unearthed in Jerusalem (Clara Amit/Israel Antiquities Authority)
A ceramic mouthpiece of a pipe dating to the Ottoman period was found during excavations in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem two weeks ago.
It bears an inscription in Arabic saying: “Heart is language for the lover”.
“Oftentimes in archaeological excavations remains are revealed including monumental inscriptions, some of which are of religious value, some commemorating a donor,” said Mr. Shahar Puni, worker of the Israel Antiquities Authority.
“Along with these, we sometimes find inscriptions that are of a personal nature: verses of a poem, congratulations and other quotations from which we can learn about daily life and even emotional matters between a man and woman.”
Pipe mouthpiece bears inscription: "Heart is language for the lover” (Clara Amit/Israel Antiquities Authority)
“Clay pipes of this kind were very common in the Ottoman period (16th-19th centuries CE) and were mostly used for smoking tobacco, and some were even used to smoke hashish.”
“The Ottoman authorities tried to combat this practice but failed when it became clear that smoking was firmly entrenched in all levels of society. Pipes were also used as a piece of jewelry that could be worn on a garment, and smoking itself was popular amongst both men and women.”
“This pipe was probably given as a gift to a lover”, concluded Mr. Puni.
