Native American pipes were made in a number of different ways. Most were made by natives of the midwestern plains, who attached wooden stems to catlinite (pipestone) bowls. These pipes were used in rituals and religious ceremonies, and are the origin of the standard image of a native American pipe.

Native American pipes were also made from antlers, bone, and wood. Authentic antique native American pipes are very rare, but modern native American artists have been crafting traditionally styled pipes for decades, valued for their aesthetic qualities.