The origin of the artifact dates back to long-lost cultural practices resulting from a local tradition, full of symbolism, unique to Cambridgeshire. Following the redevelopment of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon road, specialists from the Museum of London Archaeology (MOLA) discovered an ancient bone comb carved from a fragment of a human skull. This surprising discovery was made at an Iron Age site at Bar Hill, near Cambridge. According to archaeologists, ‘the Bar Hill comb’ reveals an incredible local tradition dating back more than 2,000 years, unique to the British county of Cambridgeshire.
The comb, carved from a rectangular fragment of human parietal bone, dates from around 750 BC to 43 AD, was found more than 5 years ago during archaeological intervention work but was only recently analyzed and identified. Only two other similar artifacts, from the Iron Age and made of human bones, have been found before, all in the Cambridgeshire region. The find sheds new light on rituals and beliefs in Iron Age Britain, including how human remains were cared for within local communities.
“It is possible that this fascinating find represents a tradition carried out by Iron Age communities living only in this area of Cambridgeshire.” “To be able to see such hyper-local influences on groups of people who lived over 2,000 years ago is truly amazing,” commented Michael Marshall, MOLA team leader.
The small comb, cracked and with broken teeth, fits in the palm of the hand and shows the wear and tear of so many years of burial. It is particularly unusual, however, as there is no wear pattern on its teeth, suggesting that its purpose was more ornamental or spiritual than practical. Marshall theorizes that the answer to the use of this object may lie in a circular hole drilled in the comb, allowing it to be used as an amulet.
“The ‘Bar Hill comb’ may have been a very symbolic and powerful object for members of the local community. It may have been carved from the skull of an important member of Iron Age society, whose presence was preserved and commemorated in some way through his bones,” Marshall explained.