The pipestone pipe fragment was recovered from a Phase IV salvage project in 1994 at the Living the Dream site by Kansas Historical Society archeologists and crew. The soft fine grained material of pipestone enabled the pipe's maker to carve it into its shape. This pipe broke during manufacture and the incised scratches on the surface may have been polished over as a final step had it not broke. Pipes were used during trade negotiations and to mark special occasions. In Kansas, these pipes are generally made by American Indians between 1650 to 1850. The site, in Cowley County, was a Great Bend aspect (ancestral Wichita) village that had been much impacted by modern activities.
Kansas Memory
Kansas Historical Society
Pipestone Pipe from the Living the Dream Site, 14CO382 - 1