Comb

A comb is a tool consisting of a shaft that holds a row of teeth for pulling through the hair to clean, untangle, or style it.

Combs have been used since prehistoric times, having been discovered in very refined forms from settlements dating back to 5,000 years ago in Persia.

[1] Weaving combs made of whalebone dating to the middle and late Iron Age have been found on archaeological digs in Orkney and Somerset.

[11] Combs are also a tool used by police investigators to collect hair and dandruff samples that can be used in ascertaining dead or living persons' identities, as well as their state of health and toxicological profiles.

[13] Stringing a plant's leaf or a piece of paper over one side of the comb and humming with cropped lips on the opposite side dramatically increases the high-frequency harmonic content of the hum produced by the human voice box, and the resulting spread sound spectrum can be modulated by changing the resonating frequency of the oral cavity.

A comb with teeth of unequal length, capable of producing different notes when picked, eventually evolved into the thumb piano[15] and music box.

In China, combs are referred to by the generic term shubi (梳篦) or zhi (栉) and originated about 6000 years ago during the late Neolithic period.

[24][25] The history of the Afro pick dates back at least 5,000 years, as a practical tool that may also have cultural and political meaning.

[29] Modern artisan combs crafted from a wide variety of new and recycled materials have become popular over recent years.

Used skateboard decks, vinyl records,[30] brass, titanium alloy, acrylic, sterling silver, and exotic wood are a few of the materials being used.