This pipe, weighing almost 12 kilograms, was once given as a gift to a chieftain of the Bamum, an ethnic group in what is now Cameroon. The pipe’s function was primarily ceremonial. The chieftain probably never actually lit this decorative bronze pipe. The pipe was filled with cannabis or tobacco during ceremonies in order to make a big impression on people; after the event was over, the cannabis or tobacco would be shared among the chieftain’s subjects.