The Afro comb and the politics of hair: Audio slideshow

The Afro comb has been used by people in Africa and the continent's diaspora for centuries.

An exhibition at the University of Cambridge's Fitzwilliam Museum looks at the Afro comb's impact as both a hair care tool and cultural symbol over the last 6,000 years. It takes visitors on a journey that looks at ancient Egypt, the US civil rights movement and communities across Africa and the Caribbean. Take a brief tour with exhibition curator Sally-Ann Ashton.

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Origins of the Afro Comb can be seen at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, until 3 November 2013.

Images courtesy: Fitzwilliam Museum, AP, AFP, Getty Images, Alexis Akwagyiram.

Music by Fela Kuti, Gil Scott-Heron, Damian Marley and A Tribe Called Quest.

Slideshow produced by Alexis Akwagyiram, Paul Kerley and Emma Lynch.

Related:

Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Natural afro hair makes comeback

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