Cite this as: Ashby, S.P., Tomlinson, L., Presslee, S., Hendy, J., Bliss, A., Minter, F. and Brock, D. 2023 The Portable Antiquities Scheme and the potential of non-metallic finds: A Viking Comb from Shotley, Suffolk, Internet Archaeology 61. https://doi.org/10.11141/ia.61.11
This article presents a case study in maximising the potential of publicly collected archaeological finds, through collaboration between finder, recorder, curating institution and the research community. It focuses on an object reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme, of a type not usually well represented among metal-detected finds: an early-medieval antler hair comb. Typological and biomolecular analysis of the comb - found on the shores of the river Orwell, Suffolk - shows that it was manufactured in Scandinavia in the mid-10th century, before being brought to south-east England. This is the first comb found in England to be identified as Scandinavian via biomolecular means, and represents an important, scientifically-verified demonstration of contact between the regions in the period following initial settlement.
Corresponding author: Steven P. Ashby 
steve.ashby@york.ac.uk
Dept. Archaeology, University of York
Lewis Tomlinson
Dept. Archaeology, University of York
Samantha Presslee
Dept. Archaeology/BioArCH, University of York
Jessica Hendy
Dept. Archaeology/BioArCH, University of York
Alex Bliss
Cotswold Archaeology
Faye Minter
Suffolk County Council Archaeological Service
Dan Brock
Dept. Archaeology, University of York
Figure 1a / Figure 1b: Map showing the approximate location of the comb's findspot. Image credit: Aleks McClain
Figure 2a / Figure 2b: a) Image of the comb. Image credit: Suffolk County Council, CC-BY-SA. b) Drawing of the Shotley comb. Image credit: Donna Wreathall
Figure 3: The key elements of a single-sided composite comb. Image credit: Pat Walsh
Figure 4: RTI Image of the Shotley comb. Image credit: Dan Brock
Figure 5: 3D Model of the Shotley comb. Image credit: Dan Brock
Figure 6: MALDI-ToF spectrum of the Shotley comb. Image credit: Sam Presslee
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