Decorated Antler Comb
1 2017-05-28T15:13:52-07:00 Brittany N. Johnson c1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2c 16456 2 comb made from antler with most of the teeth intact plain 2017-05-28T15:16:22-07:00 Åhlin, Christer. Antler Comb. Still Image, October 20, 2011. 269166. Swedish History Museum. http://mis.historiska.se/mis/sok/fid.asp?fid=269166&g=0. 800-1100 269166 CC BY 59.3356206597888,17.545529878328 antler Swedish History Museum Adelsö, Uppland, Sweden Viking Age Brittany N. Johnson c1c1763339f8fa953e3c907c6bb8a3bad0c28b2cThis page is referenced by:
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Decorated Antler Comb
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This comb was found at Birka, a well-known and well-excavated site of an 8th - 10th century viking emporium, or trading settlement. The comb likely made its way into the ground through accidental loss or after discard when teeth or some other piece of the comb broke. Sections of tooth plate as well as a decorated bridge survived. Because we know the dates Birka was inhabited by viking peoples, we can be relatedly confident in dating the comb to those dates, and because we know from the wealth of material evidence left behind that Birka was a relatively large and busy viking settlement,[1] with a multitude of other objects left behind, we can be confident in ascribing the comb to a viking culture.
Hygiene was surprisingly important to Scandinavian peoples who came into regular contact with parasites from sheep as well as from other humans – an issue that would no doubt have been extremely evident in a more urbanized, highly trafficked location such as Birka. Like many other examples of viking hygiene tools, the comb is made of antler or bone, an organic material that would have been readily available and easy for viking-age craftsmen to carve.[2]
Perhaps surprisingly, the main function of combs like this was not to craft a beautiful aesthetically pleasing hairstyle, but to remove lice. The teeth on this comb are especially narrow for this purpose. Although we tend to think of hygiene today as a means of improving one’s outward appearance, hygiene and beauty for viking peoples was often more practical and concerned with controlling parasites or bodily functions.
The decoration carved on the bridge of the comb is created through thick lines in a relatively close knit, geometric based design. The pattern resembles a lattice more than an animal-motif based interlace or knotwork, which differs somewhat from the more established viking styles. On either side of the comb there are also visible cross motifs, which may be a feature of the design or indications of an early exposure to Christianity.
Finds like this are significant because they offer a glimpse into the daily life of viking age people in areas where our written sources are dark.
