Ashanti Wood Ceremonial Comb:

A small head on a ringed neck, perched above a comb like a lookout.

This ceremonial comb is Ashanti, from Ghana, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. It is carved wood. Among the Akan, ornate combs are often associated with beauty and courtship, and their finials range from simple heads to elaborate figures and symbols. Here a stylized head with a domed top rises on a ringed neck above an open frame. The broad panel below is incised with crossing lines that form triangles and diamonds, and eight long teeth extend from its lower edge. The surface is a dark, glossy brown. It is 5.13 inches wide and 13.5 high.

Neat hair was clearly a matter of some importance.