comb

Carved out of one piece of hardwood, the decorative spike on this comb replicates the ornate barbed spears formerly made on Efate. Combs from Efate are now quite rare in museum collections, probably because the cultures of this island have been strongly affected by European settlement and influence. Traditionally, men of Efate let their hair grow long and often dyed it yellow, wearing it tied up in a high shock decorated with a comb. As European-influenced short hairstyles became popular, the manufacture and use of decorative combs declined drastically.