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