When Were Bongs Invented

The true origins of the bong, or water pipe, are ancient, and over time, this essential tool has been used by a variety of different cultures. Around A.D. 1100-1400, water pipes and hookahs, early precursors to the bong, were used in various parts of Africa, Central Asia, and Iran. African water pipes, resembling those we have today, were used as far back as the fourteenth century. 

The earliest recorded instance of a bong or water pipe being used in history for smoking cannabis was during the Qing dynasty, with the Dowager Empress Cixi (c.1861 AD) being buried with her three water pipes. The Ming Chinese Dynasty used water pipes in the 16th century, notably to smoke tobacco, and they were discovered at about the same time; the story goes that Empress Dowager Cixi loved bongs so much, that she was buried with at least three of her collection. Hundreds of old bongs made from gold were used for smoking cannabis and opium, most probably introduced in tribal ceremonies of one sort or another. 

Excavations at the Kurgan site in Russia in 2013 revealed that Scythian tribal leaders used gold bongs 2400 years ago to smoke cannabis and opium. Only recently have archaeological digs in modern-day Russia unearthed bongs dated to around 2,400 years old. Archaeological remains unearthed in Russia indicate that the leaders of native tribes used to smoke from golden bongs, remains dating back about 2,400 years. 

Recent archaeological findings from Russia show that the clan leaders of Iranian-Eurasian tribe of the Scythes once smoked pot from a gold bong about 2400 years ago. In 2013, Russian excavations revealed that the chiefs of the Scythian tribe used bongs made out of gold 2,400 years ago to smoke cannabis and opium. 

Scythian tribal chiefs, residing in the area now known as modern-day Russia, made bongs of pure gold. One of the oldest bongs yet discovered was made from pure gold, believed to be used by royalty. In fact, some of the oldest known bongs predate American history, having been used in ancient Africa, Russia, and China. 

Until fairly recently, bongs were thought to have been used for the first time in Africa starting around 1100, by tribes on the south and east sides of the continent, since these are the oldest examples found. Although early evidence for bong use dates all the way to 400 BC, prior to that discovery, the first known bongs were found in Ethiopian tombs around 1400 BC. After study and testing, archaeologists found that the two gold bongs were from about 400 B.C., centuries before it is thought the first bongs were invented. 

These bongs were part of a hoard weighing seven pounds of gold, thought to have been part of burial mounds for certain tribal leaders, the remains of cannabis and opium found inside of them confirmed written accounts by ancient Greek historian Herodotus, who said that Scythians used the drugs, perhaps as a ritual to boost their strength before heading off into battle. According to Tech Times, two bongs were used by the chiefs of the Scythians, a nomadic group that originated in the area that is now south of Siberia and spread its influence throughout central Asia, to smoke cannabis and opium. It has been thought for some time that the bong was invented in Central Asia, as it is the first place in the ancient world with records of cannabis being used. 

The origins of the bong began centuries ago in Africa, Thailand, and Laos, and were an uncontaminated way to consume cannabis, although water pipes have been adopted by a number of cultures worldwide for various purposes. Before Natives of ancient Asia decided to put water into a bong, humans were using big pipes for smokin pot on a fairly regular basis. According to one theory, bongs owe their popularity to the Ming Dynasty of China, who introduced water usage into bongs.