Mystery of an Iron Age comb made from a human skull

An Iron Age comb carved out of a human skull has been unearthed. It is not known why ancient people processed human skulls to make combs.

The London Archaeological Museum (MOLA) introduced an Iron Age skull comb found in Barhill, Cambridgeshire, England on its official Twitter account on the 4th.

Named ‘Bahil Comb’ following the region, this comb is a fragmented part, and is estimated to have been originally regarding 5 cm long. As a result of the MOLA research team’s analysis, the comb was found to be from the Iron Age, regarding 750 BC.

Scholars who first discovered this piece of comb paid attention to its unusual material. Analysis by the MOLA research team revealed the eerie fact that the comb was made from a human skull.

An archaeologist is examining a ‘Bahil comb’. <사진=MOLA 공식 홈페이지>

What’s even more unusual is the fact that this comb has no signs of being used at all. A MOLA official explained, “No matter how you look at it, I don’t think that ancient people actually used it.” “I looked closely at the comb teeth, but I mightn’t find any DNA from the frayed part or the fine fragments of the scalp.”

The research team thought there must have been a round hole in the middle of the comb. It is the research team’s judgment that this comb was used as an accessory, such as putting a string on it and hanging it around the neck.

A MOLA official said, “It is possible that people at the time did not tidy up their hair with this comb and used it as an amulet or ritual tool.”

The ‘Bahil Comb’ is made from a human skull, and this excavation is only a part of it. <사진=MOLA 공식 홈페이지>

The official said, “It is possible that people in the Iron Age in England used the bodies in various ways rather than simply burying them.” .

According to the research team, tools made of human bones were excavated from ancient sites centered on Bahil, in addition to the ‘Bahil comb’. Scholars believe that people in the Iron Age processed the bones of the dead’s arms and legs to remove the fat from animal hides.

Combs made from human skulls are rare, but there have been earlier discoveries. Those excavated in the 1970s had comb teeth intact, and those discovered in the early 2000s had only the body without flesh. Both combs had traces of brushing their hair.

Reporter Yoonseo Lee [e-mail]

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