Opium Pipe

3D ModelNoAI

One of two large opium pipes. The stem is made from wood, probably bamboo and has a metal saddle. One pipe has a Chinese character inscribed under the metal saddle. Opium had long been valued in China as a medicine that could ease pain, assist sleep and reduce stress. By the mid 19th century however, there were millions of addicts across the country, largely sustained by illegal British imports from India. The Chinese were keen to put a stop to the imports and destroy the stocks of opium. This caused outrage among the British, and was the spark that ignited the Opium Wars during the mid-19th century.

Catalogue Number: B009759.5