Any ideas???

[dragonsbreath(Paul)]

This was found earlier this year on a Roman site in the midlands made from lead.

It has been suggested that it might have been used to put patterns on pottery

wavy lines etc.   and no i dont think its a roman nit comb...lol

Any advances on that theory please? PaulB.

[DIGGA]

I HAVE NO IDEA  WHAT IT IS   OR WHAT ITS USED FOR  BUT  ITS A NICE  AND  PUZZLING FIND   

[hedgehog]

Does look like a comb, sounds a reasonable idea for pottery, a lead comb would be very soft so whatever it was used for would need to be softer.

[waltonbasinman]

Plausible idea folks but I know of no Roman period pottery with combed decoration applied roughly. Maybe for wool or weaving perhaps.

[romano-brit]

there was loads of pottery with stuff drawn onto it, mainly grey ware

i do think itd be for potery making

[simon c]

Certainly looks to have some age to it,the wool comb idea seems plausible,but i think most wool combs were made from wood,Would be nice to see what it turns out to be.

[waltonbasinman]

What I meant romano brit was it is a very crude type of comb ? Roman period pottery like the London Style Wares that include the Graywares were far more intricutly styled than than this comb implement would have been capable of. Sorry thats my daughter giving me grief when I am trying to post.

[DIGGA]

COULD BE A TINY GARDEN RAKE     

[ROMAN STEVE]

Its the 1st false teeth that the
sutt ever had when he was a roman
well hes about the same age as the
romans anyway

[Beefy (GARETH)]

had a look on internet.........could possible be a rake........as some older ones was made of copper/metal ........nice find thou mate 

[DIGGA]

ha ha ha   thanks   millsey ,,,,,,,,,,, you gimp     &*$

[Tafflaff (Rob)]

I'd have thought a little crude for pottery patterning , unless of course it was a quick knocked up one  for cheaper 'mass' produced stuff.

[hedgehog]

Assuming that it is of Roman origin, the only reference that I can find at the moment relating to lead combs of that period is that they used to dip the comb in vinegar, this produced a dye which they then used to dye their grey hair!

Don't know if it was for the ladies or men, but the women also used to use the white of the lead oxide to paint their faces and hide the blemishes, not to be tried at home 

[U.K. Brian]

Hedgehog you have been reading Irving S. Rossof's Encyclopedia of Clinical Toxicology

"Lead poisoning is said to have contributed to the fall of Roman civilization....water conduit pipes, preservation for wine and fruit juices and Roman men dipped their lead combs in vinegar to darken their greying hair".

Bone combs were often deep in shape so were held from the back. With vinegar being used it would probably be in a small necked container so the comb would be long and thin so it could be dipped in.

[hedgehog]

Can tell you were a schoolteacher, nice reference Brian.