| The body, or govde, of a hookah pipe consists of a | | | | hookah pipes. Traditional materials used in making |
| curved vessel which holds water. A graceful stem | | | | hookahs were blown glass, often highly decorated in |
| rises from the body and at the top of the stem is a | | | | gold or enamel painting, brass, aluminum, silver, |
| bowl, or lle, which holds the tobacco. From one to | | | | porcelain, clay, carved stone and wood, and leather. All |
| several flexible hoses, the marpuc, with a mouthpiece, | | | | these same materials are used today, with the addition |
| or agizlik, at the end, are used to draw the hookah | | | | of stainless steel, Pyrex glass, plastic, rubber, and high |
| smoke down through the water. The hookah tobacco | | | | quality acrylics, among others.In restaurants and |
| is heated by charcoal and the water filters and cools | | | | smoking lounges, individually wrapped, disposable plastic |
| the smoke. The water gurgles gently, like a woodland | | | | mouthpieces are provided for each smoker. Other |
| stream, and, in the process, makes the smoke smooth | | | | accoutrements of the hookah pipe and tobacco |
| and cool. | | | | include the hookah charcoal and metal tongs. The |
| The word shisha, which is often another word for | | | | charcoal is typically in coin-sized pieces and each lasts |
| hookah, comes from the Persian meaning glass or | | | | for about 30 minutes in the slow smoking tobacco |
| bottle. Hookahs and the culture of hookah smoking is | | | | mixture.Certain etiquette applies to the smoking of |
| often referred to as hookah shisha. Somewhat | | | | hookah pipes: the water pipes are meant to be on the |
| confusingly, at first, people also refer to hookah | | | | ground, rather than on a high table or shelf, with the |
| tobacco as shisha, or hookah shisha--and there is a | | | | smokers seated on cushions or low seats around |
| Shisha brand of hookah shisha!Hookah pipes today | | | | it--though in modern hookah lounges, they often appear |
| come in many styles, from Egyptian to Syrian, traveling, | | | | on tables. Shared hookah pipes are not supposed to |
| mini and mod models to specialty and custom designs. | | | | be passed, but rather set down after smoking so that |
| There is a world of history in the craftsmanship of | | | | the next smoker can take up the pipe at their leisure. |