Southern Adventist University: The Ivory Comb Exhibit

 

For fans of history, you’re in luck—what better way to kick off the new year than with an exclusive viewing of a rare artifact?

ivory comb decipher code

In partnership with the Israel Antiquities Authority and The Israel Museum, Southern Adventist University invites the public to stop by their campus in Collegedale, Tennessee, for their free exhibit—The Ivory Comb: Lice and Literacy at Lachish. 

The star artifact of this exhibit, the ivory comb, dates all the way back to 1700 B.C. and features an inscription in the Canaanite language, making it the oldest deciphered complete alphabetic sentence in writing.

Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum

 

Opening January 27, this is the only scheduled viewing opportunity in the United States, as the comb is currently on loan from the National Treasures Department of Israel. The exhibit will be held in Southern’s Lynn H. Wood Archaeological Museum in Hackman Hall through May 2.

Also on January 27, Southern Adventist University will host an archaeology symposium where internationally recognized scholars will present on the ivory comb and its historical significance.

 

the ivory comb dig site tel lachish

 

Discovered in 2016, the ivory comb was uncovered at Tel Lachish in Israel, an important Cannanite city-state that was later destroyed, during an excavation led by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Southern Adventist University. In fact, it was Katherine Hesler, Southern archaeology student, who unearthed the comb from among the ruins of the Babylonian destruction.

While the comb was already notable thanks to its archaic origins, the artifact’s historical significance increased even further when, in 2022, Israel virologist Madeleine Mumcuoglu, PhD, noticed shallow scratches on the ivory comb. These scratches were later confirmed as words by an epigrapher.

 

The Ivory Comb

 

The comb’s inscription reads, “May this ivory (tusk) root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” The inscription is written in the Canaanite language, a predecessor to all modern alphabets.

The discovery of the ivory comb marks the first time an entire sentence written in the Canaanite language has been found. Now, researchers are able to compare the comb’s inscription with other writings from different time periods.

 

zoomed in picture of the ivory comb

 

The inscription itself also gives researchers a glimpse into everyday life during this time period. Researchers now have insight into the hair care, grooming habits, and level of literacy in Bronze-Age Canaan. Discovering that an engraver was able to communicate in a written language shows that literacy was widespread, not just among the elite, at this time.

 

dig site of the ivory comb

 

It’s hard to overestimate just how important this discovery is, says Michael G. Hasel, PhD, professor of archaeology at Southern and co-director of the Lachish excavations.

“The invention of the alphabet was the most important contribution to communication in the last four millennia,” says Hasel. “Before this time, complicated systems of writing in Egypt and Mesopotamia limited literacy. Today, most of the world constructs sentences using the alphabet found on this comb.”

 

archaeologists digging for artifacts

 

Since its discovery, the ivory comb has been featured in The New York Times and Smithsonian, and it ranked No. 1 on Christianity Today’s list, “Biblical Archaeology’s Top 10 Discoveries of 2022.”

For more information on Southern’s exhibit, as well as the museum’s open hours, visit Southern’s website or call at 423.236.2030.


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