A Work of Antler : A study on tools and techniques for comb making

Sammanfattning

This thesis explores comb making during the late Scandinavian Iron Age, focusing on the tools and techniques required to manufacture a composite comb. The aim is to evaluate and expand upon the established Chaîne Opératoire model within composite comb research by evaluating tool use and function. The study is limited to the middle and northern Scandinavia and utilises three case studies from Drocksjö, Lake Horrmund and Vendel as the primary archaeological material to examine tool availability during the Vendel Period. The theoretical perspective draw upon the Chaîne Opératoire framework to conceptualise manufacturing processes while considering the fluidity of handicrafts through experiential archaeology. An experimental analysis is conducted wherein the methodological framework is built around the experiential reconstruction of a composite comb. The method consists of evaluating period appropriate tool types that may have been used in comb making. A fundamental toolkit for comb making is identified. The study also suggests that tool assemblages from the Vendel Period may represent adaptable, multi-purpose crafting traditions rather than specialisation.