The oldest known sentence on a comb was related to the removal of what from hair?

The oldest known sentence on a comb was related to the removal of what from hair?

• A. The removal of lice from hair
• B. Removal of dust from hair
• C. Applying oil to hair
• D. Cutting split ends

Answer: (A)

Combs were more than grooming tools; they carried inscriptions that explain their practical use. The oldest known sentence on a comb explicitly describes removing lice from the hair, highlighting a primary hygienic purpose: to rid the hair of parasites. This reflects how persistent lice were as a grooming concern in ancient times and why a tool would be labeled with that function. Other options—dust removal, applying oil, or trimming split ends—aren’t as strongly tied to the earliest inscriptions on combs, and trimming split ends is a much more modern concept.

Combs were more than grooming tools; they carried inscriptions that explain their practical use. The oldest known sentence on a comb explicitly describes removing lice from the hair, highlighting a primary hygienic purpose: to rid the hair of parasites. This reflects how persistent lice were as a grooming concern in ancient times and why a tool would be labeled with that function. Other options—dust removal, applying oil, or trimming split ends—aren’t as strongly tied to the earliest inscriptions on combs, and trimming split ends is a much more modern concept.