A set of silver dental instruments from the New Milton Collection

Abstract

This short paper studies a set of ten silver instruments belonging to the New Milton Collection, which are believed to be dental and of Roman date. A brief history of the set is given, also a description of each instrument together with suggested name and function, based upon the accounts of dental procedures recorded in classical medical texts. In an attempt to determine the antiquity of the set, results of non-destructive tests upon two of the instruments are compared with those of metal artefacts of authenticated date. In addition, stylistic comparisions are made with ancient instruments in museum collections, and representations of instruments upon ancient stelae and in medical manuscripts.