Comb

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This small bone comb was found at Langbank Crannog in Renfrewshire. It was used to comb a beard or moustache, sometime between 0 and 200 AD.

The single-edged comb was made from a single plate of bone. It was decorated with circles and a curvilinear design on one face only.

Combs are known in Scotland from the last few centuries BC onwards. Small combs like this one were probably used for grooming facial hair. Larger combs, for head hair, were used not only as grooming tools but also for de-lousing.

Record details

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• Online ID: 000-100-040-668-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
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• Ref: National Museums Scotland  X.HC 105
• Date: Between 0 and 200 AD
  
• Material: Bone; single-edged; from a single segmental plate of bone; having circles and curvilinear design incised on one face
  
• Dimensions: 1.50" x 1.50"
  
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• Where: Scotland, Renfrewshire, Erskine, Langbank
  
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• Description: Small comb of bone, single-edged with incised decoration, from Langbank Crannog, Renfrewshire
  
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