The History of the Bong: From the Scythians to Modern Glass Art | EHLE.

When people use a bong today, they usually think of modern glass models, percolators, or artistic designs made from borosilicate glass. However, the idea of drawing smoke through water is significantly older than many assume – even if its origins are surrounded by some persistent myths that deserve closer examination.

Where Does the Word "Bong" Come From?

The word likely originates from the Thai "บ้อง" (baung), which originally referred to a bamboo pipe or vessel. When Western travelers visited Southeast Asia, they brought the term back with them, and it later spread worldwide.

The Most Famous Discovery – and What It Really Shows

In 2013, archaeologists in the Caucasus region of Southern Russia discovered a Scythian burial mound, approximately 2,400 years old, containing golden vessels with traces of cannabis and opium – confirming what the Greek historian Herodotus reported about the Scythians.

Important for context: The archaeologists involved assume that the vessels were likely used to brew an opium drink, while cannabis was burned separately on hot stones – as described by Herodotus. This is a remarkable testament to ritual use but not a water pipe with smoke filtration like a modern bong. In reporting, this was often sensationally presented as "the oldest bong in the world," which distorts the archaeological classification.

Water Pipes in Historical China

Genuine water pipes with a filtration principle can be more reliably traced to China. During the Ming and especially the Qing dynasties, metal and ceramic water pipes were widespread, mostly for tobacco smoking. Many devices were portable and already followed the same basic principle as modern bongs.