Oldest Wooden Comb, Gold Hair Ring Discovered in British Bronze Age Burial, Revealing Prehistoric Craftsmanship

Some archaeologists from Wales were able to come across Britain's oldest found wooden comb as well as an extraordinary gold hair ring in a Bronze Age burial pit. The findings emphasize the attention to appearance and craftsmanship of the prehistoric people who lived during this period.

Bronze Age Burial Pit

According to Live Science, the burial pit was found to hold a person's remains, which date back to 3,000 years ago. The person was reportedly cremated along with the extraordinary artifacts. This could have led to the remarkably rare survival of the comb as charcoal.

Arkeonews adds that the unique findings were made while archaeological excavations were conducted as part of efforts to build roads in South Glamorgan.

Before the findings are included in the collections of the Amgueddfa Cymru, an independent committee will gauge the treasure's value.

Gold Hair Ring

Project excavator Dave Gilbert, who also serves as the operations director from the UK-based Red River Archaeology, explains that the gold ring is clearly the most eye-catching artifact that was alongside the cremation. According to the Pembrokeshire Herald, the ring's diameter spanned just 1.1 centimeters. It was intricately crafted, with a herringbone or chevron pattern covering it. The artifact is a representation of a prehistoric hair ring that could have been used as a decoration for the air.

Principal prehistory curator Adam Gwilt from Amgueddfa Cymru Museum Wales explained in a statement that the ring was an early, small, and well-made representation of its kind. The finding sheds light on hair ring developments as part of early jewelry in Ireland and Britain.

Remarkably Preserved Wooden Comb

However, the most essential finding, the wooden comb, is actually more mundane than it appeared at first. Eight thin teeth were found to remain in the comb. Typically, wooden and other organic items tend to rapidly decay in the soil. However, the burning of the comb while the person was cremated could have kept it completely preserved.

Before this recent discovery, Britain's oldest found wooden comb was a tiny Roman accessory that dates from roughly 140 to 180 A.D. It was picked up by an archaeology undergraduate student while the student was visiting the Bar Hill Fort, which is a Roman ruin close to Glasgow, in 1936.

Artifacts Accompanied the Deceased to the Afterlife?

Live Science adds that mourners decided on these items to be cherished objects that could accompany the deceased in the journey towards the afterlife. The discovery stresses how important these objects are to the person who was buried beside them. On top of that, it also highlights how attentive the people were to detail and how they took pride in their appearances.

Gwilt also explains that the burial is part of a vast collection of ancient burial evidence now found in the Vale of Glamorgan.