Liturgical Comb. Culture: Italian. Dimensions: Overall: 3 3/4 x 4 1/2 x 11/16 in. (9.5 x 11.4 x 1.7 cm). Date: late 11th-early 12th century.Decorated double-sided combs were generally used for the ritual preparation of the priest before the celebration of the Mass, but they could have a secular function as well. In some cases they entered church treasuries as relics of saints. The vigorous design of two youths mounted on confronting griffinlike beasts derives from Eastern motifs. Southern Italy had many political, cultural, and artistic contacts with Byzantium and the Islamic world. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.