

Historical Head Lice Treatment Demonstrated by 3700 Year-Old Ivory Lice Comb
How our Ancient Past Reflects Human and Head Lice Evolution and History
Ancient Voice Calls to Future Lice Sufferers, “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.”
Photo Credit: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority
Historical Head Lice Treatment Demonstrated by 3700 Year-Old Ivory Lice Comb
How our Ancient Past Reflects Human and Head Lice Evolution and History
Ancient Voice Calls to Future Lice Sufferers, “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.”
Photo Credit: Dafna Gazit, Israel Antiquities Authority
What we know about the oldest historical treatment of head lice is the result of worldwide archaeology efforts. The oldest known sentence written in the first alphabet was discovered on an ancient ivory comb, dated to about 3,700 years ago [2][2][4]. The comb was unearthed in 2016 from an Israeli archaeological site called Lachish [2]. However, the minuscule one- to three-millimeter letters were overlooked until 2021, when research associate Madeleine Mumcuoglu at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem noticed the sentence while zooming in on a photo of the comb [2].
The sentence is inscribed in the language of the Canaanites, a group that lived between approximately 3500 and 1150 B.C.E. in what’s now Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, and Palestine [2]. The inscription reads: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” [2][2][4][4]. This discovery marks the first complete written sentence in the Canaanite language [2][2].
The Canaanite alphabet was invented later, likely in or near Egypt [2]. Experts debate the exact time when the alphabet originated, though most researchers put it around 3,800 years ago [2]. This alphabet was used for hundreds of years and eventually became the foundation for ancient Greek and Latin writing systems [2]. The Canaanite script (aka the Phoenician alphabet) is the earliest known example of an alphabet, one that would be adapted and adopted by cultures all over the globe [2]. Most modern alphabets now stem from these original, ancient letters, including Arabic, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and Russian [2].
Scientic discovery opens the door to new findings in the evolution of humans and head lice, as well as ancient lice treatments.
It would have been impossible to accurately identify the age of this ivory lice comb without important scientific discoveries and their application to archaeology. These include the use of carbon dating in archaeological work that began in the mid-20th century that resulted in a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Willard Libby in 1960. Since then, radiocarbon dating has become an invaluable tool for archaeologists, paleontologists, and others looking for reliable dates for organic matter [16].
The combination of carbon dating with DNA information to put a timeline of archaeological finds is a more recent development. Currently, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze DNA and accurately date up to ten-thousand-year-old human remains has been reported and opens exciting new opportunities for discovery [15].
Deciphering the Miniscule Ancient Text About Head Lice on the Lachish Lice Comb
Click Image to enlarge.
Rendering of a 17th century BCE inscription in early Canaanite script from Lachish. Image Credit: Dr. Vainstub et al
Deciphering ancient inscriptions, especially those in extinct languages, is a complex process that involves linguistic expertise, historical knowledge, and sometimes a bit of luck.
The Canaanite language, in which the inscription on the comb was written, is part of the Northwest Semitic group of languages, which also includes Phoenician and Hebrew. The Canaanite script, also known as the Phoenician alphabet, is the earliest known example of an alphabet. This alphabet was used for hundreds of years and eventually became the foundation for ancient Greek and Latin writing systems [6].
The deciphering process often involves comparing the unknown script with known scripts and languages. In the case of the Canaanite language, scholars have a small corpus of about 30-40 inscriptions and fragments from Serabit el-Khadim in the Sinai Peninsula, as well as two inscriptions from Wadi el-Hol in Middle Egypt [6]. These inscriptions provide a basis for understanding the language and script.
According to common theory, Canaanites or Hyksos who spoke a Canaanite language repurposed Egyptian hieroglyphs to construct a different script [6]. Therefore, understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphs can also aid in deciphering the Canaanite script.
However, the exact process of how the inscription on the comb was deciphered is not detailed in the sources I found. It’s likely that the researchers used a combination of these methods and their knowledge of Semitic languages to interpret the inscription. Deciphering ancient scripts is a field of ongoing research, and new discoveries can lead to revisions and refinements in our understanding of these ancient languages [6][7][8][9][10].
How did they discover this ancient lice comb in the first place?
The ancient ivory comb was discovered during an archaeological excavation at Tel Lachish, a site in southern Israel [11][12][13][14]. The excavation took place in 2016 and was led by a team from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Southern Adventist University [11][13][14].
Interestingly, the inscription on the comb was not noticed immediately. It was only in 2021, when the comb was sent to a lab to search for traces of lice, that someone noticed faint symbols etched on the side. Upon closer inspection, these symbols were recognized as a sentence in the Canaanite language [11][12].
The beard and head lice comb itself was likely an imported luxury object, as there were no elephants in Canaan, and therefore no ivory. This suggests that it may have belonged to a wealthy individual. In fact, microscopic evidence of head lice was even found on the comb [11], indicating that it was used for its intended purpose.
This discovery provides valuable insights into the lives of the Canaanites, their language, and their struggles with common human issues like lice [11][12][13][14].
Click Image to enlarge.
Photo Credit: Wilson44691, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tel Lachish, also known as Tell el-Duweir, is an ancient city located in the Shephelah region of Canaan on the south bank of the Lakhish River.
It was an important city in the Kingdom of Judah, second only to Jerusalem. The site was inhabited since the Pottery Neolithic period (5500–4500 BCE), and major development began in the Early Bronze Age (3300–3000 BCE) [17]. Lachish was first mentioned in the Amarna letters, which are communications between Egyptian pharaohs and the rulers of neighboring nations, dating to the 14th century BCE [18]. Current excavations include the Austrian Expedition which is uncovering parts of the Middle Bronze Age palace of Lachish [24]. Also, the Tel Lachish archaeological site is scheduled for further excavations from June 30-July 19, 2024.
Significant archaeological findings at Lachish include:
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