CRÂMPEIE DIN SPLENDOAREA ISTANBULULUI DE SECOL XIX LA CONSTANȚA: PIPE CERAMICE DE TIP TOPHANE
A GLIMPSE OF THE SPLENDOR OF 19th CENTURY ISTANBUL AT CONSTANȚA: TOPHANE CERAMIC PRODUCTS

Summary/Abstract: Tabacco and the smoking habit, wide spread in the Ottoman Empire since late 16th century, had a considerable impact on society, once they overcame the first bans. Clay tobacco pipes / çubuk were used for smoking for along period of time; in this large variety, a certain type distinguishes itself - Tophane – named after the famous handicraft neighborhood of Istanbul. This type of clay tobacco pipe distinguishes itself from all other pipes of the period through the exceptionally high level of craftsmanship and quality of the product. A limited number of items in this category are in the collection of the Museum of National History and Archaeology Constanța. Their study raises a number of questions,such as: their dating, manufacturer, the way they arrived in Constanța, target buyers (the price was higher since these were products of good quality). It is a known fact that until late 19th century Dobrogea (including port – city Constanța)was part of the Ottoman Empire and, therefore, various types of relationships with Istanbul were quite natural at the time. Studying the Tophane type clay tobacco pipes present in Constanța represents a clear proof of these relationships with the imperial metropolis of Istanbul, which were not only economic, but also cultural and social.

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