[MR] History Blog: Rare 12th C. “Liturgical” Comb

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Monday's History Blog reported on a rare ivory "liturgical comb" that was
recovered from the ruins of a 12th century German castle. The now-conserved
comb has gone on display at a museum in Herne, Westphalia.

The term "liturgical comb" relates to nearly all the 60 known combs of this
type being found in church contexts. They were apparently used by churchmen
to spiff up after donning their vestments.

The elaborately carved comb was found in 2017 during an excavation on the
site of Holsterburg Castle. It is one of the few such combs discovered in a
secular context, and one of the few decorated with secular motifs.

You can see the item at https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/76214 .

Other examples are shown at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liturgical_comb .

Yours Aye,

Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep the original Merry Rose relevant and in
business.