Luxury, Hunting, and Gold: Rare Medieval Ivory Comb Reveals the World of Westphalian Nobles

A small fragment of carved elephant ivory is offering an unusually vivid glimpse into the world of medieval aristocratic life in Westphalia. The object, a richly decorated 12th-century comb found at Holsterburg near Warburg, is now a new highlight of the permanent exhibition at the LWL-Museum für Archäologie und Kultur in Herne.

The comb measures only 6.3 by 7.1 centimeters, yet its archaeological value is far larger than its size suggests. Made from elephant ivory and decorated with finely carved scenes, it belongs to a rare group of medieval luxury objects usually associated with church treasuries, bishops, saints or kings. Its discovery in the soil of an aristocratic castle site makes it especially important.

A Luxury Object from a Medieval Castle

The ivory comb was discovered in 2017 during excavations at Holsterburg, an octagonal medieval castle in the district of Höxter. LWL archaeologist Kim Wegener, who led the excavation, immediately recognized the significance of the find. Similar combs are often described as “liturgical combs” because many known examples are linked to religious ceremonies and elite ecclesiastical contexts.

The Holsterburg comb, however, appears to tell a more secular story. Its findspot, decoration, and archaeological setting suggest that it was intended for an aristocratic owner rather than a monastic or episcopal treasury. This makes the object a rare piece of evidence for the refined material culture of Westphalian nobles in the High Middle Ages.

Hunting Scene, Peacocks and Traces of Gold

The fragment preserves two carved image fields. One side shows a dog chasing a hare, a motif closely connected with aristocratic hunting culture. The other side depicts two peacocks facing one another. Both themes fit the symbolic world of medieval elites, where hunting, display and imported luxury materials helped express social rank.

Recent microscopic examination revealed another remarkable detail: traces of gold survive in the eye of the hare and on the handle area above the peacocks. These tiny remains suggest that the comb once looked even more striking than it does today, combining ivory carving with gilded accents.

Holsterburg’s Elite Status

The comb also strengthens what archaeologists already know about Holsterburg. The castle is one of the most unusual medieval fortifications in Westphalia. Its octagonal layout, high-quality construction, and even an integrated warm-air heating system point to an ambitious building project by the Edelherren von Holthusen.

Other finds from the site, including gaming pieces, show that the castle’s residents took part in aristocratic leisure culture. The ivory comb fits this picture precisely. It was not an ordinary grooming tool, but a statement object. Whether it was made in the Mediterranean world, the Byzantine sphere, a workshop north of the Alps, or perhaps near the Weser monastery of Helmarshausen remains unresolved.

Now on View in Herne

After careful conservation by LWL restorer Ruth Tegethoff, the comb traveled through special exhibitions in Berlin, Münster, and Paderborn. It has now returned to Westphalia and entered the permanent display of the LWL Museum in Herne.

For visitors, the fragment offers more than a beautiful medieval artifact. It shows how far Westphalian nobles were willing to go to compete with the visual language of bishops, kings, and high-ranking aristocrats. In a few centimeters of carved ivory, the Holsterburg comb preserves a world of status, craft, trade, and ambition.

LWL

Cover Image Credit: LWL / S. Brentführer