YOUNG Jack Gilbert will surely make sure he combs his hair thoroughly after being shown a 16th century nit comb from the wreck of the Mary Rose. The nine-year-old was among a class of Year Four pupils from Chilton School, Didcot, who visited the Diamond Light Source at Harwell.
The pupils were shown around by scientists, including Prof Mark Jones, head of collections at the Mary Rose Trust. The team are looking at ways to preserve the timbers of Henry VIII’s Tudor warship before it goes on public display at a new museum in Portsmouth later this year.
Among the artefacts shown to the young students was an original nit comb from the ship – complete with 500-year-old head lice.
Jack said: “I thought it was very interesting to see head lice from nearly 500 years ago. I wondered if they were still alive!” Picture: Sean Dillow
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