Double-Sided Antler and Bone Combs in Late Roman Britain

Contents

Preface and Acknowledgements

Chapter 1: Introducing the combs

The dataset

Terminology

The combs in a wider context

Combs and Winchester: a preliminary note

Chapter 2: Their date of arrival in Britain

The evidence

Anomalies explained

Contemporary material and events

Chapter 3: Manufacture and marketing

Manufacture

Marketing

Chapter 4: Aspects of the assemblage

Late Roman or Anglo-Saxon?

Other forms of composite comb used in late Roman Britain

An unusual variant

Chapter 5: Stylistic groups

Customised combs or devolved designs?

Horse combs

Dolphin and Devolved Dolphin combs

Owl combs

Straight-centred combs with long connecting-plates: very Devolved Dolphins/Owls

Concave-ended combs

End-plate groups and connecting-plate design

Chapter 6: Distribution and context

Distribution and possible production centres

Distribution by end-plate group

Archaeological contexts: baths, votives and burials

Site type

Chapter 7: Combs from funerary contexts

Gender

The importance of age

Female status and identity

Comb position

Body position

Ethnicity

Chapter 8: Conclusion

Concentrations and gaps

Burial data and typology

Valued objects, further research

Catalogue

Combs from inhumation burials

Other combs from cemeteries (disturbed grave goods?)

Combs from non-funerary contexts

Sites with double-sided composite combs not in the catalogue but used in Figure 6.1

Appendix 1: Combs by the sex and age of the human remains

Appendix 2: Concordance by end-plate group

Appendix 3: Concordance by site type

Bibliography

About the Author

Nina Crummy is an independent researcher working mainly on Roman small finds from eastern and southern England. Chiefly known for her work on small finds from Colchester, Winchester and Silchester. her research interests include zoomorphic objects and items made from skeletal materials. Graduating from Keele University in 1971, she has an MA from the University of Wales Trinity St David (2014) and is a Senior Visiting Research Fellow of the University of Reading.

Richard Henry is a Doctoral Research Student at the University of Reading and Curator of Archaeology for Southampton City Council. A find specialist and numismatist, he has a particular interest in late Roman Britain and the 5th century transition. A graduate of the University of Wales, Lampeter, he gained an MSc from Bournemouth University (2016), where he is a Visiting Research Fellow. While the Finds Liaison Officer for Wiltshire, he curated the award-winning exhibition ‘Terry Pratchett: HisWorld’.