Bongs date back to 2400 years ago, when Scythian chiefs used gold vessels to smoke cannabis. By 1400 BCE, Ethiopians crafted ceramic bongs with underground stems for cooling. Thai bamboo tubes refined the design, paving the way for modern borosilicate glass bongs built for smooth, filtered hits.

Smoke Signals from the Past: A Quick Reminder of Bong History

Before glass bongs showed up in dorm rooms or dispensary displays, people were already lighting up with some surprisingly advanced tech. Here’s a quick list to reset your timeline:

• 2,400 years ago: Scythian tribal chiefs used ornate gold bongs, discovered in burial mounds in Russia, to smoke cannabis and opium.

• 1400 BCE: Ancient Ethiopian bongs, some designed to cool smoke through underground stems, show early experimentation with airflow.

• Centuries ago in Thailand: The word buang described bamboo tubes for smoking. That term eventually became bong.

• 1970s: Bob Snodgrass created the first modern borosilicate glass bongs using silver and gold fuming, bringing function and art together.

People love to say bongs came from California counterculture. That’s like saying the wheel came from a skateboard. The real story is deeper, older, and way more inventive.

What you’re about to read isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a time-travel session into royal tombs, ancient rituals, glassblowing revolutions, and modern smoke science. Let’s dig into how we got from bamboo tubes to precision-engineered filtration systems designed to make every rip worth remembering.

Who Really Invented the Bong?

The question of who made the first bong isn't as simple as picking a year or a continent. 

Like fire or music, it seems the idea of smoke as a ritual or recreational medium appeared in different places, shaped by climate, materials, and whatever mind-altering plants were on hand. 

But if you're picturing a smooth glass tube with water bubbling through a downstem, you’re about 2,000 years too early.

Scythians, Ethiopians, and the Bong That Wasn’t a Bong

The oldest known bong-like artifacts come from the Scythians, nomadic warriors who ruled parts of what is now Russia. Archaeologists found gold vessels in their tombs, some with clear residue from cannabis and opium. 

These objects were beautiful, but they weren’t designed for water. Based on their shape and design, they were likely used to hotbox enclosed spaces with smoke, not filter it.

Image source - ZME Science

Meanwhile, in East Africa, Ethiopians were making something closer to the modern concept. Pottery bongs buried in graves date back to 1400 BCE. 

Some were built to pull smoke through underground stems, probably to cool it before inhalation. That design choice feels a lot like the first steps toward engineering smoother draws.

In Mongolia, smoke rituals involved throwing herb onto heated stones inside tents. 

The smoke would fill the air, and people would inhale it communally. Again, no water chamber, but a shared purpose: harnessing smoke for ceremony or relief.

When Does a Pipe Become a Bong?

True water filtration may have begun in Ming Dynasty China. Some scholars point to bamboo water pipes used for tobacco and herbs, with water cooling acting as a primitive filter. But there’s disagreement here. 

Others argue that most ancient designs lacked any clear mechanism for water use and were closer to dry pipes or vaporizers. 

The truth? Bong design didn’t arrive all at once. It evolved slowly, through experimentation, geography, and good old trial and error.

Buang, Bong, and Beyond: The Linguistic Leap Across Cultures

The word bong traces back to the Thai term buang, which referred specifically to bamboo tubes used to smoke herbs through water. These were functional devices, carved from local materials, and designed to cool and filter smoke using a basic water chamber. 

The term was practical and descriptive, tied directly to the tool itself.

Western awareness of the word began in the mid-20th century. As American soldiers returned from Southeast Asia, they brought with them stories, objects, and language from the region. Among these was the concept of the bamboo water pipe and the word that described it. 

At the time, Western smokers used the term water pipe, a clinical phrase more suited to hardware stores than subculture slang.

By the 1960s and 70s, the term bong began circulating among glass artists, cannabis users, and underground publishers. It was shorter, easier to remember, and quickly took hold. 

The word started appearing in print, gaining traction as glass designs replaced bamboo. Over time, bong overtook water pipe in everyday speech and carved out a permanent place in cannabis vocabulary. What began as a Thai description became the global shorthand for water-filtered smoking devices.

A Global Evolution of Bong Design through Centuries

Bong design has never followed a single path. It developed independently in different regions, shaped by local resources, spiritual beliefs, and creative problem-solving. What connects them is a shared goal: delivering smoother smoke through some form of cooling or filtration. 

The form changed, but the function stayed consistent.

Early Bong Technology Around the World

Long before glassblowers entered the picture, people were building smoke tools out of whatever they had. Here are some of the earliest known examples:

• Ethiopia, 1400 BCE: Ceramic and horn bongs, some embedded into the ground, possibly for cooling smoke through soil before inhalation.
  
  

• Thailand: Bamboo tubes, simple in design but effective in pulling smoke through water. The earliest known use of the word that would become bong.
  
  

• China, Ming and Qing dynasties: Sophisticated bamboo water pipes that likely introduced controlled water filtration to the mix.
  
  

• Qing Dynasty tombs: Empress Dowager Cixi was buried with three high-end smoking devices, highlighting their cultural and ceremonial value.
  
  

These tools were often communal, built for rituals or shared use rather than private sessions.

Glass: The Turning Point in Bong History

The arrival of borosilicate glass in the 20th century changed everything. This material resists heat, holds its shape under stress, and allows for advanced internal structures. 

Artists like Bob Snodgrass began experimenting with fuming, infusing glass with silver or gold for color and depth. These designs were no longer just tools, they became expressions of function and artistry.

Glass took over because it performs better. It does not alter the taste of your herb. It is easier to clean. It lets you see the smoke. Clay and wood might be traditional, but they cannot compete with the purity, durability, and control that borosilicate glass delivers. That is why it became the new standard.

The Hippie Era and the Glass Boom

In the 1960s and 70s, bongs became part of the cultural backdrop. What had once been a tool for discreet use turned into a visible symbol of personal ritual and anti-establishment thinking. 

Glassblowers across the country were creating small-batch pieces with unique shapes and features, and headshops carried them alongside vinyl records, incense, and hand-rolled posters. 

The bong was no longer a hidden object. It became a form of expression.

As popularity grew, so did government attention. 

In the early 2000s, federal agencies launched Operation Pipe Dreams, targeting shops and distributors under the banner of drug enforcement. Entire inventories were confiscated. 

Some businesses never recovered. The campaign sent a clear message, and many glassmakers went quiet or offline.

Modern Makers and the Online Shift

As traditional retailers backed away, online storefronts stepped in. 

Thick Ass Glass came into that landscape with a clear purpose. 

Most glass available was either fragile, overdecorated, or built with no attention to airflow. We decided to take another path. 

Our focus was on structural integrity, clean diffusion, and pieces that performed consistently over time. The goal was not to follow the market but to reshape it around better standards. That mindset continues to define everything we do.

Today’s Tech: How Modern Bongs Utilize Smokable Engineering

Bong design today looks nothing like it did a few decades ago. Function is now shaped by engineering, not guesswork. Every component has a role in shaping airflow, cooling smoke, and preserving flavor. 

Modern smokers expect more than just bubbles in a chamber. They expect consistency, efficiency, and smart design. That’s where the details matter.

Percolators: Microbubbles, Maximum Filtration

Percolators are the workhorses of advanced bongs. They break smoke into smaller bubbles, increasing the surface area for cooling and filtering with every draw. 

Common styles include honeycomb percs for dense bubble stacks, tree percs for multi-arm diffusion, and matrix percs for balanced, center-stacked performance. Each has its own pull and flow characteristics, but the goal is always the same: smoother smoke with less irritation.

For a great example of what this technology can do, check out the 20” Double Fixed 16-Arm Tree Beaker. It stacks bubbles aggressively while keeping the draw clean and free of drag.

Bent Necks: Ergonomics Meets Function

Bent necks are more than a stylistic choice. They redirect the mouthpiece away from the waterline, helping prevent splashback when you clear the chamber. 

The angle also creates a more natural position for the user, especially when seated or leaning over a table. It’s a small shift that makes every session more comfortable.

The TAG 16” Bent Neck Double Honeycomb with Splash Guard is a perfect example of this layout. It combines performance percs with a body shape that feels right in any setup.

Ice Catchers: Chill Out Without Sacrificing Airflow

Ice catchers use pinched notches inside the neck to hold ice above the water chamber. As the smoke passes through, it cools rapidly without getting overly diluted. This provides smoother inhales and a noticeable drop in temperature without changing flavor.

Try the TAG 18” Double Honeycomb with Ice Pinches. With 7 mm thick glass and built-in ice pinches, it cools the draw without compromising structure or airflow.

Slitted Downstems: Smooth, Drag-Free Draws

Downstems do more than connect the bowl to the base. When engineered with precision slits, they become a diffuser in their own right. Slits break up smoke into smaller streams, making every inhale smoother while minimizing resistance.

The 32-Slit Multiplying Rod Downstem from our collection is one of the most effective examples. It adds a noticeable upgrade in diffusion and works seamlessly in any compatible setup.

Ancient Ritual Turned High-Performance Smoke Science

The bong is not a novelty and never was. It is a 2,400-year-old design that has traveled through royal tombs, ritual ceremonies, and underground movements. 

Every refinement, from gold vessels to ice pinches, is part of a long tradition of people trying to make smoke smoother, cooler, and more deliberate.

Whether you're lighting up with a hand-carved bamboo pipe or gripping a 16mm beaker with reinforced joints, you're continuing that evolution. 

This is not about trends. It is about performance that holds up over time.

Ready to own a piece of history engineered for today? Explore our extensive collection of thick glass bongs and experience smoke done right.