Comb

Reproduction of a comb with the shape of a tympanum (architectural) at the top and teeth at the bottom. In the tympanum-shaped area it has a relief decoration composed of concentric circles that is repeated on the back.

In Roman times, the thermal baths were like a beauty salon for women, they went there to bathe and apply various beauty treatments, including getting their hair done. This was something very important for a decent woman, women always had to appear with their hair up since loose hair was a disqualifying element and was considered a sign of abandonment and carelessness.

The headdress was a fundamental element of adornment for Roman women, sometimes they reached a large size and were authentic works of art, which is why it is believed that they had a slave dedicated to hair and makeup called an ornatrix. This has been reaffirmed with the discovery of a comb and an acus carved on a funerary tombstone, collected by Daremberg and Saglio in their dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities.

Several models of comb are preserved, they do not present many differences with some combs that we can use today, in ancient times they were made of various materials, including boxwood, bone, ivory, copper, silver or gold among others.