This small, finely-crafted comb or hair adornment, made from animal bone, derives from the Darfur region of western Sudan. The multi-pronged form of the comb is similar to those found among the Mangbetu in north-eastern DRC. In order to make this comb, the artisan would have used a type of hand-turned lathe exclusive to Sudan and Ethiopia.
The handle of the comb is adorned with tiny, intricate black circle-and-dot decorations– a design found on Ethiopian talismans and Sudanese rings, which has served as a traditional protective symbol across the African continent throughout the centuries.
Estimated Period: First Quarter 20th Century
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