Antler/bone comb fragments with iron rivets

Fragmentary bone comb, length 12.5cm but much broken and incomplete. The back-plates have a semi-circular section and are held together and to the inside plate by a line of iron rivets. No trace of teeth at all on one side, but a few remain on the other. The back decorated by engraved lines.Three fragments of the bone comb: 8cm long, 1cm thick, 2cm wide excluding teeth. Composed of three flat pieces of bone rivetted in 3 possibly 4 places in middle of comb by large iron rivets. Decoration on the outside surfaces seems to have consisted of a double engraved line each side. Only one tooth and part of another made in one with the middle section. Apparently not double sided. Plus another fragment making total length 13.2cm long with 6 rivets in all.The catalogue number KAS 472 is used for a number of bone combs (Payne 1892b, 30). See bone combs from Sarre grave 4, 68, 72-74, 174. – D.H.