Hi all!

I could use some assistance in the identification of a pipe recovered
from a late 19th, early 20th century, Louisiana plantation context. It is
a stub-stemmed, horse effigy pipe made from an off-white clay, which does
not appear to be local. The pipe has been reconstructed, and the tip of
the snout is missing. It is unique in that unlike most effigy pipes, the
effigy does not face away from the smoker when being smoked. The horse’s
upside down neck is the bowl, and the horse’s open mouth, facing the
smoker, would have held the reed stem used to smoke the pipe. A sheared
off piece of pewter or lead is embedded in the horse’s forehead, and it
appears to be original to the pipe.

Pictures are available at: http://www.ramseyhouse.org/histarch.html. Just
click on the images to enlarge.

Any ideas?

Thanks!!

Holly Tunkel
Curatorial Graduate Assistant
Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science
119 Foster Hall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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  ----- Original Message -----
  From: "Mark Branstner"
  To: [log in to unmask]
  Subject: Urban Myth apology
  Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2006 11:31:16 -0500


  Folks,

  If my message about cell phones and
  telemarketers gets posted, I apologize in
  advance ... I have finally fallen prey to the
  dreaded "Urban Myth" and I am humbled by the
  experience.
  -- Mark C. Branstner
  Historic Archaeologist

  Illinois Transportation
  Archaeological Research Program
  209 Nuclear Physics Lab, MC-571
  23 East Stadium Drive
  Champaign, IL 61820

  Phone: 217.244.0892
  Fax: 217.244.7458
  Cell: 517.927.4556
  [log in to unmask]

  "There is also an artificial aristocracy founded on wealth and birth,
  without either virtue or talents ... The artificial aristocracy is a
  mischievous ingredient in government, and provisions should be made
  to
  prevent its ascendancy."

  - Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826)