Parasitology Unit, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Kuvin Center for the Study of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
Israel Antiquities Authority, National Treasures Department, Jerusalem , Israel.
J Med Entomol. 2020 Jul 4;57(4):1021-1024. doi: 10.1093/jme/tjaa007.
A fine-toothed comb found in the Judean Desert and resembling an ancient louse comb was examined. Based on radiocarbon dating, it ranged between 1660 AD and 1950 AD. From the material accumulated between the teeth, an oribatid mite, a pseudoscorpion, exuviae of beetle larvae, a sucking louse (Polyplax brachyrrhyncha Cummings, 1915), as well as a fully engorged larva and a nymph of the ixodid tick Rhipicephalus turanicus Pomerantzev, 1936 were recorded. Additionally, the comb included numerous hairs of a spiny mouse (Acomys sp.). Although finding mites, beetle larvae, and a pseudoscorpion on a louse comb could be regarded as contamination, the findings of P. brachyrrhyncha, as well as of a larva and nymph of R. turanicus, are noteworthy. We hypothesize that the presence of animal lice and ticks could indicate some sort of pet grooming.
在朱迪亚沙漠发现的一种类似于古代虱子梳的细密梳子被检查了。根据放射性碳测年，它的年代范围在公元 1660 年至 1950 年之间。从齿间积累的物质中，记录到了一种革螨、一种伪蝎、甲虫幼虫的蜕皮、一种吸血虱（Polyplax brachyrrhyncha Cummings，1915），以及一只完全饱食的幼虫和一只肩突硬蜱（Rhipicephalus turanicus Pomerantzev，1936）的若虫。此外，梳子上还粘附有许多刺鼠（Acomys sp.）的毛发。虽然在虱子梳上发现了螨、甲虫幼虫和伪蝎可能被认为是污染，但发现了 P. brachyrrhyncha 以及 R. turanicus 的幼虫和若虫是值得注意的。我们假设动物虱子和蜱的存在可能表明某种宠物梳理行为。
