Antler comb

A two-sided antler comb discovered in the Old Town in Kamień Pomorski during archaeological surveillance of construction works. The excavation from which it came was located on the defensive rampart of an early medieval castle. The stone comb belongs to specimens with teeth on both sides, cut in one rectangular piece of raw material. It is not decorated, but its surface is carefully smoothed. Saws of different thicknesses were used to make the teeth. The teeth are more densely spaced on one side and more widely spaced on the other, as the comb was used for hairdressing and for hygiene to remove parasites and dirt. It has survived to our times in perfect condition. It is the simplest type of early medieval combs. Identical specimens are found on sites dating from the early phases of the Middle Ages to modern times.

Sławomir Słowiński