Among the range of items discarded in the ditch is this particularly well-preserved antler weaving comb. These combs were essential tools for the production of textiles, particularly for combing and preparing fibres like wool or flax for spinning and weaving. Many Iron Age weaving combs were not just functional tools but also objects of artistic expression. They were often decorated with intricate patterns and designs, showcasing the craftsmanship and artistic abilities of the people who made them.

This comb’s shaft exhibits a slight lean from left to right and is framed at the top and bottom by two raised bands adorned with an incised hound’s tooth design. The central panel between these borders features three dot-and-ring motifs, with the central motif featuring a perforation for suspension. The shaft is further divided into five panels by an incised horizontal line above the teeth and two diagonal incisions forming a cross. The upper panel along the object’s axis showcases four dot-and-ring motifs, while the lower panel forms a triangle with four dot-and-ring motifs, and the two flanking panels each display a single dot-and-ring motif. The distal end of the comb features fourteen teeth, with irregular lengths and interdentate incisions of varying lengths. Notably, the first and second left-hand teeth show signs of reworking or modification, a phenomenon observed in five similar combs found at Danebury in Hampshire.