Dimensions: length: 8.4cm; width: 5.4cm; thickness: 0.45cm

Origin:Unearthed from Tomb 2 at Mawangdui in 1973

The unearthed comb have evenly separated 59 teeth and 20 teeth respectively.  Tortoise-shell comb was a very expensive dressing article in the Han Dynasty. This is because tortoise-shell itself is very hard to come by, and any exquisite article made of them demands even more complicated technique, manpower and time.

The occupant of Tomb 2 at Mawangdui is the Marquis of Dai and that of Tomb 3 one of his sons. A large quantity of dressing articles such as combs and fine-toothed combs have been found in both Tomb 2 and Tomb 3.  We all know that China from ancient times has been a country that observes the rule of “rites” and the people pay great attention to “ceremonies” and “filial piety”. As the saying goes, “the body, skin and hair all come from the parents”. According to norm of etiquette, the ancient people, whether men or women, had to retain their beard and hair and avoid any secretive damage to it, so the hair had to be combed from time to time. It was also laid down that men and women “should not share towel or comb”. As a result, men at the time had to keep their own comb and fine-teethed comb as women did. This is why such exquisite dressing articles as combs and mirrors have been unearthed from Tomb 2 and Tomb 3 at Mawangdui.