The origins of the hookah come from the north western provinces of India along the border of Pakistan in Rajasthan and Gujarat, nearly a millennia back. These hookahs were simple, primitive, and rugged in design, usually made from a coconut shell base and tube with a head attached. They were designed to smoke opium, and hashish. The hookah made its way through the Persian Kingdom, which also included Pakistan, Afghanistan, much of Middle Asia and Arab parts of Northern Africa.

Hookahs are referred to by many other names (often of Arab, Indian, Turkish, Uzbek or Persian origin). Arghile or Nargila is the name most commonly used in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, Albania, Kosova, Greece, Israel, Bulgaria and Romania, though the initial "n" is often dropped in Arabic. "Narghile" is from the Persian word "nārgil" or "coconut", from Sanskrit nārikela (नारिकेल)--as the original hookahs were made out of coconut shells.[2] Shisha (شيشة) is from the Persian word shishe (شیشه, literally translated as glass and not bottle), and is primarily used for water pipes in Egypt and the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf (such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia) as well as Morocco, Tunisia, Somalia and Yemen. In Iran it is called ghalyun (غلیون), ghālyun (قالیون), or ghalyān (قلیان) and in India and Pakistan it is referred to as huqqa (हुक्का /حقہ).

Now, think back. Do you recall the tale of a girl named Alice who became stranded in a strange, imaginative world? In Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, Alice stumbles upon an arrogant and inquisitive caterpillar. Perched atop a giant mushroom, and smoking what appears to be a strange musical instrument, the caterpillar asks Alice a quite memorable question-- "Who are YOU?" The musical instrument is not really a musical instrument at all. It is, in fact, a hookah and this hookah-smoking caterpillar is how most children get their first glimpse of this curiously strange smoking device. When Lewis Carroll wrote the story of Alice in 1865, hookahs had been in existence and in use for several centuries.

The hookah filters the smoke from heated flavored tobacco through cool water or wine. The flavor of the smoke comes from dipping the tobacco in honey and fruit molasses. When heated, the molasses and honey steam, creating a delightfully fragrant and aromatic smoking experience.

Coming soon ~

Hall of One Hundred Kantharos

The kantharos was a special drinking cup, said to be invented by Dionysos himself. Unlike the skyphos, which was round with small handles, the kantharos had a high base and projecting handles that stretched from the rim to the foot of the cup.

Dionysos' own kantharos was always full, and could never be drained - even by the great and lusty Herakles himself. The wine that it produced was unrivaled in all the world. One drop from it would make a man drunk - though without any of the negative effects of alcohol.