SALLY DORMER - Combs in the Middle Ages – Ivory, Bone and Wood

Medieval combs survive in abundance. Most were practical objects for removing tangles and lice, but others, fashioned from ivory and highly ornamented, performed much more elevated roles. This lecture will explore why well-groomed hair meant so much in the Middle Ages, and examine combs from church treasuries and museums, some connected with individuals like St Cuthbert (d. 687), and, paradoxically, Emperor Charles the Bald (d. 877)!

Guests welcome £5. www.theartssocietyoakham.org.uk.