An Analysis of Marked and Decorated White Clay Tobacco Pipes from the Lower Patuxent Drainage

This paper examines the types, quantities, and distributions of marked and decorated white clay tobacco pipes from four 17th century archaeological sites located along the lower Patuxent River in southern Maryland. Although marked pipes often account for a relatively small percentage of total pipe assemblages, important patterns in both their temporal and spatial distribution are clearly evident. For example, even though records indicate that Bristol pipemaker Llewellin Evans was working from 1661 until 1689, preliminary analysis suggests that, at least along the Patuxent, Evans' pipes are found primarily in post-1680 deposits. This paper discusses Evans' pipes and other marked and decorated pipes in the Patuxent River assemblages.