HOHOKAM BASALT TUBE PIPE OR CLOUD BLOWER PINAL COUNTY AZ TUCSON ESTATE

Description

From the Tucson foothills estate of Colonel Burton Miller USAF (Retd.), a decorated fighter pilot in Vietnam and avid amateur archeologist is this Hohokam tube pipe or cloud blower - I've found examples of these described both ways. This is another Pinal County recovery, from east of I-10 and Casa Grande. I sold a good number of nice Hohokam and Trincheras stone and shell artifacts from Colonel Miller's copious collection here on Ebay around fifteen years ago. I have a few more to offer from a box in my office closet, this being one of them. The offered artifact is of slightly tapered form and nicely patinated dark grayish-black vesicular basalt, biconically pecked or drilled (I'm not sure which method the Hohokam employed). The inner bore is fairly large and assumes a typical hourglass configuration, the waisted joining slightly off center as normal. The exterior is very well finished. There is an ancient mineral adhesion near the exterior narrower end, smoothed over in the making, which will serve to identify this particular example. I don't know if these were used with tobacco or for some ceremonial purpose, though you may. Evidence of Hohokam occupation extends from the Mogollon Rim south into the desert lands of northern Sonora,  C. early AD to about 1400 or so. They especially flourished in the southern Arizona counties of Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima. So you know Miller did research and was familiar with many likely localities in the greater Tucson basin and Santa Cruz River valley - though he travelled as far north as Phoenix and south to the border near Sasabe, and east to the New Mexico line on his many forays into the hinterlands. I know he also made several trips into Mexico. Colonel Miller did not desecrate or excavate, he surface hunted only on private land and with permission. Condition is quite good with those well patinated surfaces reflecting  hundreds of those years undisturbed on the ground. The pipe is basically intact, with just a small rim area on the wider end showing a bit of (possible) ancient erosion. No modern damage - no hidden restorations. A look at the pics should give a good idea of appearance and condition. Size is about 1 11/16 in. long and 1 1/16 in. across on the wider end. If you have interest in the material culture of the prehistoric Southwest and especially things specifically Hohokam, or simply wish something cool you cannot find at the mall, this will have great meaning for you.
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