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Abstract
Two double-sided boxwood combs were recovered from waterlogged deposits at the Roman fort and extra-mural settlement at Ribchester, Lancashire (England). During conservation, the combs were examined for evidence of manufacture and use. The associated soil residues yielded fragments of human head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis). These correlate with the environmental data from related bulk soil samples, and contribute to the archaeological interpretations of the site. The combs were stabilized by freeze-drying, which facilitated study of tool marks from manufacture.