Sepiolite

![These eagle-shaped fibulae from the 6th century were constructed with gold, bronze, gemstones, glass and meerschaum.[7] The Walters Art Museum.](/uploads/202502/10/Visigothic_-_Pair_of_Eagle_Fibula_-_Walters_54421,_54422_-_Group5324.jpg)

Sepiolite, also known as meerschaum (/ˈmɪərʃɔːm/ MEER-shawm or /ˈmɪərʃəm/ MEER-shəm, German for foam of the sea) is a soft white clay mineral, often used to make tobacco pipes (known as meerschaum pipes). A complex magnesium silicate, a typical chemical formula for which is Mg4Si6O15(OH)2·6H2O, it can be present in fibrous, fine-particulate, and solid forms.