'Fitzwilliam looking for participants in 2013 exhibition Members of the public are being invited to take part in a major community project leading to a new 2013 exhibition looking at the 5000 year history of the iconic Afro Comb.
To contribute to the exhibition the Museum will be running events in Cambridge and London to record people talking about their own stories, photographs and personal histories. The film and audio footage will become part of a new archive so future generations can see what people today have to say about hair and what kind of combs are used.
The final exhibition will trace the remarkable history of the African comb from the Pre-dynastic period of Egypt to the Twentieth century in the UK and US, including the personal testimonies collected.
The first event launching the project is being held at the Fitzwilliam Museum on Saturday 16 June 2012, displaying beautifully ornamented African combs from 6000 to 100 years old carved from wood or woven with delicate patterns.
For more details of this event and to take part please contact 01223 332904 or email fitzmuseum-education@lists.cam.ac.uk. Admission to the event is free.
This is a shared project between the Fitzwilliam Museum and the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge, and The Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology in London. It is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Afro Comb:
Hair and grooming have always played an important role in the culture of Africa and the African Diaspora. The traditional African comb has played a crucial role in the creation, maintenance, and decoration of hair-styles for both men and women.
In many African societies, ancient and modern, the hair comb symbolises status, group affiliation, and religious beliefs, and is encoded with ritual properties. The handles of combs are decorated with objects of status, such as the headrest, human figures, and motifs that reference nature and the traditional spiritual world.
In the twentieth century ‘afro’ combs have taken on a wider political and cultural message, perhaps most notably in the form of the ‘black fist’ comb that references the Black power salute.
By looking at archaeological records of burials, and through recording oral histories in modern societies it is hoped the exhibition will provide a much better understanding of the status of this iconic object and the spiritual and societal status it can hold.'
Oshun Member # 19740
posted
6k to 100 years? Thats one big margin of error for the date?
Swenet Member # 17303
posted
They weren't dating the combs; they're just saying that the combs in their collection range from predynastic in date, to modern in date
As for the combs, the general shapes sure resemble afro combs, but I'm still not convinced they were (all) Afro combs
Truthcentric Member # 3735
posted
Egyptian combs seem to have a variety of shapes as far as I can tell from a cursory Google search. Some combs do indeed resemble Afro combs but others have finer teeth. The first comb is an example of a more Afro-type comb whereas the second has finer teeth if you look carefully at the bottom.
Could you run a fine-toothed comb through stereotypical Afro-type hair?
claus3600 Member # 19584
posted Could you run a fine-toothed comb through stereotypical Afro-type hair?
Can't remember which of the following I've heard this could signify - -a change in the gene pool -used to extract lice -purely symobolic
the lioness Member # 17353
posted
Comb, Amarna, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten (1353-1336 BCE), Wood
Egyptians carved double-sided combs much like modern examples with thick teeth on one side and fine teeth along the other. Ancient hairstyles, especially those of women, were often quite elaborate. Combs like this would have been used for both natural hair and for wigs which were worn by both men and women. Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Mike111 Member # 9361
posted
^Oh deranged one, we wondered as to your health. Clearly that is fine, so were you in Jail? Or is it as I suspected; the Charles V material required that you have extensive psycho therapy.
claus3600 Member # 19584
posted
^One imagines the Armana comb would correspond with a change in the gene pool.
Djehuti Member # 6698
posted
I will say that a fine tooth comb can still be used on African hair not only if the hair is wavy but if it is greased up with butter.
Narmerthoth Member # 20259
posted
quote:Originally posted by Oshun: 6k to 100 years? Thats one big margin of error for the date?
That's not an estimate, but a RANGE, dunce. As in: combs dating from 6000 to 100 years old. Get it?
Swenet Member # 17303
posted
quote:Originally posted by Djehuti: I will say that a fine tooth comb can still be used on African hair not only if the hair is wavy but if it is greased up with butter.
When you have short hair, its no problem. Short kinky hair cannot really tangle much, because its short.
But trust me, you use one of those fine needled combs when you have uncombed long kinky hair, greasy or not, you'll mess up your hair.
I've got dreadlocks now, but I remember in the days when I would braid my hair when it was lengthy, I would only use the side of my combs with wide needles, and even then I would disentangle my hair by combing small sections of hair. I'd also comb my hair tips first, and then I'd move up to the roots, to remove the knots.
Starting from the roots, and then pulling the comb to your tips with long kinky entangled hair, on the long term, you'll either end up breaking the needles of your comb, or you'll damage your hair.
Narmerthoth Member # 20259
posted
quote:Originally posted by the lioness:
Comb, Amarna, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten (1353-1336 BCE), Wood
Egyptians carved double-sided combs much like modern examples with thick teeth on one side and fine teeth along the other. Ancient hairstyles, especially those of women, were often quite elaborate. Combs like this would have been used for both natural hair and for wigs which were worn by both men and women. Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
In your case Lionese, it could be used for back and leg hair.
Swenet Member # 17303
posted
quote:Originally posted by Narmerthoth:
quote:Originally posted by the lioness:
Comb, Amarna, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten (1353-1336 BCE), Wood
Egyptians carved double-sided combs much like modern examples with thick teeth on one side and fine teeth along the other. Ancient hairstyles, especially those of women, were often quite elaborate. Combs like this would have been used for both natural hair and for wigs which were worn by both men and women. Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
In your case Lionese, it could be used for back and leg hair.
hahahah
Djehuti Member # 6698
posted
^ LOL What do you expect for a Neanderwoman?
quote:Originally posted by Swenet: When you have short hair, its no problem. Short kinky hair cannot really tangle much, because its short.
But trust me, you use one of those fine needled combs when you have uncombed long kinky hair, greasy or not, you'll mess up your hair.
I've got dreadlocks now, but I remember in the days when I would braid my hair when it was lengthy, I would only use the side of my combs with wide needles, and even then I would disentangle my hair by combing small sections of hair. I'd also comb my hair tips first, and then I'd move up to the roots, to remove the knots.
Starting from the roots, and then pulling the comb to your tips with long kinky entangled hair, on the long term, you'll either end up breaking the needles of your comb, or you'll damage your hair.
Point taken.
Troll Patrol Member # 18264
posted
quote:Originally posted by Swenet:
quote:Originally posted by Narmerthoth:
quote:Originally posted by the lioness:
Comb, Amarna, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten (1353-1336 BCE), Wood
Egyptians carved double-sided combs much like modern examples with thick teeth on one side and fine teeth along the other. Ancient hairstyles, especially those of women, were often quite elaborate. Combs like this would have been used for both natural hair and for wigs which were worn by both men and women. Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
In your case Lionese, it could be used for back and leg hair.
hahahah
It's funny how a person who claims to be an African American woman, knowns so little about Afro texture hair. And yet again.lol
I have explained it so many times. It's just incredible.
Djehuti Member # 6698
posted
^ LOL What do you expect from the Lyinass. I'm just waiting for 'White Nubian' to jump in and explain. After all, such combs were found in Nubia as well.
the lioness Member # 17353
posted
quote:Originally posted by Troll Patrol:
quote:Originally posted by Swenet:
quote:Originally posted by Narmerthoth:
quote:Originally posted by the lioness:
Comb, Amarna, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten (1353-1336 BCE), Wood
Egyptians carved double-sided combs much like modern examples with thick teeth on one side and fine teeth along the other. Ancient hairstyles, especially those of women, were often quite elaborate. Combs like this would have been used for both natural hair and for wigs which were worn by both men and women. Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
In your case Lionese, it could be used for back and leg hair.
hahahah
It's funny how a person who claims to be an African American woman, knowns so little about Afro texture hair. And yet again.lol
I have explained it so many times. It's just incredible.
Since I posted a picture and a caption from University of Pennsylvania with no remarks of my own you must think something is wrong about what they wrote.
Like the map of the Almoravid you posted, you were pretending to know what the arrows meant but were really trying to trick dana into explaining them to you. stop the bluffing tactics.
The right hand part of the comb is for kinky haired negroes the left hand side is for straight haired negroes
Djehuti Member # 6698
posted
^ Whatever you say neandertwit.
The point is Egyptians used the same type of combs as other Africans.
By the way, here is a video of wigs worn by the Amun priesthood:
^^^the prongs are stuck in the hair while the top portion projects out as decoration.
^^^ornamental comb
Troll Patrol Member # 18264
posted
quote:Originally posted by the lioness:
quote:Originally posted by Troll Patrol:
quote:Originally posted by Swenet:
quote:Originally posted by Narmerthoth:
quote:Originally posted by the lioness:
Comb, Amarna, Dynasty 18, reign of Akhenaten (1353-1336 BCE), Wood
Egyptians carved double-sided combs much like modern examples with thick teeth on one side and fine teeth along the other. Ancient hairstyles, especially those of women, were often quite elaborate. Combs like this would have been used for both natural hair and for wigs which were worn by both men and women. Photo: University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology.
In your case Lionese, it could be used for back and leg hair.
hahahah
It's funny how a person who claims to be an African American woman, knowns so little about Afro texture hair. And yet again.lol
I have explained it so many times. It's just incredible.
Since I posted a picture and a caption from University of Pennsylvania with no remarks of my own you must think something is wrong about what they wrote.
Like the map of the Almoravid you posted, you were pretending to know what the arrows meant but were really trying to trick dana into explaining them to you. stop the bluffing tactics.
The right hand part of the comb is for kinky haired negroes the left hand side is for straight haired negroes
I know that source. And you don't know diversity in "black hair"/ African! You think everybody needs to have peppercorn hair! lol
That's the problem you have, annoying little bug.
Always trying to show abstracts!
This one is tricky, Lyingass. Swenet, don't say anything.
the lioness Member # 17353
posted
Troll Patty, why are you complining did I not aleady state:
The right hand part of the comb is for kinky haired negroes the left hand side is for straight haired negroes
you even quoted this yet still you cry
you are in such an emotional state even when what I wrote is the same thing you say you act like it's not and cry
Troll Patrol Member # 18264
posted
quote:Originally posted by the lioness: Troll Patty, why are you complining did I not aleady state:
The right hand part of the comb is for kinky haired negroes the left hand side is for straight haired negroes
you even quoted this yet still you cry
looooooool
Fake fake fake fake fake lying ass. That is what you are! Got it! You are not an African American woman, but a lying creature.
In fact you lie so much, you basically have the nature of a Devil! So once again the patty has decapitated your head.
the lioness Member # 17353
posted _______________________________
Swenet don't say anything
Troll Patrol Member # 18264
posted
quote:Originally posted by the lioness: _______________________________
Swenet don't say anything
Yes, because I want this imposter to anwer this.
And up till now it hasn't been able to do so. All it did was looking for distraction.
Catch my drift.
the lioness Member # 17353
posted
answer what? I see no question mentioned
Troll Patrol Member # 18264
posted
quote:Originally posted by the lioness: answer what? I see no question mentioned
Thas riiiiightttt.
Troll Patrol Member # 18264
posted
quote:Originally posted by the lioness: answer what? I see no question mentioned
posted 
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
