Medieval Hair Styling Tool Recovered at Scottish Castle

Archaeology Magazine ^ | October 1, 2025 | editors / unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

The iconic Eilean Donan Castle is one of the most picturesque spots in Scotland and has even appeared in Hollywood films. According to a statement released by National Museums Scotland, an exquisite object worthy of the majestic setting was recently recovered during excavations led by FAS Heritage. The team uncovered a rare thirteenth-century tool known as a gravoir, which was used to precisely part hair and create elaborate hairstyles. The item was carved from local red deer antler and shaped into a human figure wearing a hood and holding a book. It is only the third such object of its kind ever found in the United Kingdom, and the first on Scottish soil. The gravoir was just one item in a rich assemblage of finds uncovered during the recent work that are offering insight into life, fashions, and daily activities in the castle. These include brooches and dress pins, gaming pieces and musical instruments, and a wide array of paraphernalia associated with feasting and drinking. "Eilean Donan represents the very essence of a Scottish castle and its image is recognized around the world," said Miranda van Lynden, Head Trustee at The Conchra Charitable Trust, which owns Eilean Donan Castle. "However, we knew surprisingly little about life in the castle at the height of its power and influence in the 13th and 14th centuries." To read about investigations at another Scottish stronghold, go to "Storming the Castle."

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TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: antler; eileandonancastle; godsgravesglyphs; gravoir; hair; hairstyles; middleages; scotland; scotlandyet; yeoldeafropick

[SunkenCiv]

The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, alpha:

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• Boudica Is Buried Under This Roundabout [12:42] [09/28/2025]
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• The Enlightened Scot Who Inspired America's Founders [09/30/2025]
• Excavators find $1 million in gold coins from Spanish shipwreck along Florida's 'Treasure Coast' [10/03/2025]
• History of Writing & Printing: Victor Hugo on Gutenberg's Press, "The Invention of Printing (TR) [08/27/2019]
• Jane Goodall dead at 91: Primatologist passes away peacefully in California while on tour [10/01/2025]
• Medal Of Honor Hero (KIA) Died In Bloody One-Man Last Stand. Now His Story Will Be A Major Film [10/04/2025]
• Million-Year-Old Skull Unearthed in China Challenges Timeline of Human Origins [10/01/2025]
• Perfectly Mummified Cheetahs Are The First Naturally Mummified Big Cats Ever Found...The oldest date back over 4,000 years. [09/30/2025]
• Saskatoon police identify century-old remains of 'woman in the well' found in 2006 [10/01/2025]
• Searching for Lost Cities: London on the Black Sea [09/30/2025]
• The 1751 Machine That Made Everything [02/27/2025]
• A skull unearthed in China challenges the timeline of human evolution, scientists say [09/28/2025]
• Swimming drone explores underwater mountain in Lake Superior [10/02/2025]
• 10 Medieval Inventions So Advanced We Still Can't Beat Them [22:54] [10/04/2025]
• 3,000-Year-Old Discovery Reveals Surprising Clues to What May Have Accidentally Sparked the Dawn of the Iron Age [09/30/2025]
• This Artifact Was Unknown Before Ötzi the Iceman [2:55] [10/02/2025]
• This medieval map leads to happiness | Dr Karel Fraaije explores the Hereford Mappa Mundi [10:41] [10/03/2025]
• The Tuesday List - Ten Inventions That Changed The World [06/17/2014]
• Yom Kippur and the First Light of America's First Lighthouse [10/02/2025]

[SunkenCiv]

Gravoir

©National Museums Scotland

[SunkenCiv]

Gaming pieces

©National Museums Scotland

Selections from the FRchives:

• Rare Figurine Illuminates Viking Hairstyles [09/10/2025]
• Shocking New Evidence Suggests Norse Hunters Met Indigenous North Americans 500 Years Before Columbus [09/27/2024]
• Viking trade connections stretched over hundreds of kilometres to the Arctic, research shows [09/23/2023]
• Enigmatic Anglo-Saxon ivory rings discovered in elite burials came from African elephants 4,000 miles away [07/15/2023]
• Irving Finkel and the Chamber of Lewis Chessmen [06/19/2022]
• Missing Lewis Chessman found in drawer could be worth more than $1M [06/03/2019]
• Lost Norse of Greenland fueled the medieval ivory trade, ancient walrus DNA suggests [08/17/2018]
• 2200 year old walrus bones suggest the most famous medieval chess set might be Icelandic in origin [09/30/2015]
• 3,000-Year-Old Ivory Carving Depicts Whaling Scene [04/02/2008]

[SunkenCiv]

The Digest links list is up top. This week was more medieval / modern than usual.

[Paladin2]

Truly amazing.

Apparently some [small?] fraction of the peeps of the time had time to fabricate same with precision.

Totally amazing.

[SunkenCiv]

Antlers came in mighty handy. The primary prehistoric excavation tools in a lot of British sites were antlers (worn out ones piled as rubbish in mines and whatnot).

[Jonty30]

In a pinch, I do resort to a fork to style my hair if I cannot find a comb.

[SunkenCiv]

[singing] I pulled my harpoon out of my dirty red bandana...

[digger48]

That you, Senator Klobuchar?

[sasquatch]

well slap my time

[waterhill]

Well that’s easier than a garden rake.

[Salamander]

A wee bit pointier and it would qualify as a decent Stabby.

[Salamander]

I have a bunch of antlers.

Long before Braveheart came along, I’d fashioned them into “keychains” that were stealth weapons.
Never read of such things or heard of others doing that.
Just came up with it.

Still carry them.

Imagine my surprise when Wallace grabbed an antler and went wild with it.
You can grab up some really useful ones in the dog treats section of pet stores, too.

Genetic memory.

/the blood is strong

[Salamander]

😆

[Candor7]

Definitely a “horny” subject matter.

This is not a gravoir.

Its a weapon.

[SunkenCiv]

🦌

[ComputerGuy]

A Pict pick?

[Adder]

Hope its a clean one...

Bits of food debris can make a part so messy looking...

[Salamander]

🗡️

[Salamander]

It would be if I had it.

😜