Clay Smoking Pipes From Dūmat Al‐Jandal, Saudi Arabia: A Preliminary Note

This contribution presents a preliminary analysis of an assemblage of 53 fired clay smoking pipes collected between 2009 and 2023 during the activities of the joint Saudi–Italian Archaeological Project at Dūmat al-Jandal. Recovered primarily from upper stratigraphic units associated with late occupational phases and, in some cases, disturbed contexts, the finds display moderate variability and allow a preliminary typological classification. On this basis, the pipes can be associated with the broader Near Eastern tradition, and their presence at the site may reflect exchange networks linked to the Hajj, or military mobility. Most of the assemblage dates between the late 17th and mid-18th centuries. Although numerically limited, the pipes provide clear evidence of tobacco consumption within the Oasis and offer insights into aspects of the everyday life of its ancient inhabitants. These finds also expand the corpus of smoking pipes documented in northern Arabia, providing a comparative dataset for future chrono-typological studies.