Israel archaeologists find ancient comb with ‘full sentence’

By ELEANOR H. REICH
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli archaeologists say they have found an ancient comb dating back to Canaanite times and bearing what is likely the oldest known full sentence in an alphabetical script. The 3,700-year-old inscription encourages people to comb their hair and beards to rid themselves of lice. Experts say the discovery shines new light on some of humanity’s earliest use of the alphabet. The sentence contains 17 letters that read: “May this tusk root out the lice of the hair and the beard.” The mundane topic indicates people had trouble with lice in everyday life during the time — archaeologists say they have even found microscopic evidence of head lice on the comb.