History of Briar - part I

Pipes are most commonly made from a species of heath (Erica arborea), which grows at elevations of 500 to 1,000 meters all around the Mediterranean. The best material for pipes is generally found on remote rocky slopes and hillsides, where the heath can grow undisturbed for decades or even centuries. On fertile soil, it does not survive in competition with other vegetation and if readily accessible it all too soon becomes firewood or is used for some other purpose.br />Corsica was the earliest major producer of briar for pipes, and still produces some. Italian production is pretty much used by pipe makers within Italy, and little if any is exported. Greece produces and exports considerable quantities. Algeria was once the preeminent producer of briar, but when the French were ousted in the 1960s export of briar was prohibited, and the craftsmen who knew the business of selecting and cutting briar left, leaving behind no one capable of restarting the industry. Morocco replaced Algeria as the main supplier to the French pipe making industry, and I assume it still is. Albania has been rumored to have notable stocks of briar growing on its hills, but I am not aware of any being harvested and exported. (Of course, there is no reason I should be aware, so who knows?) ... to be continued

Next articles: History of Briar - part II