ABSTRACT
Van Marter's letters to Barrett describe the excavations of tombs in the area of ancient Tarquinia. During this important period in the history of dentistry, with the creation of formal schools and professional societies, there was great interest in dental hygiene as well as dental history. Studies of the Etruscan population at Tarquinia suggest that external closure of the cranial sutures commonly occurs at a relatively young age. The right lateral incisor and canine appear to be angled toward the medial area, probably in response to the periodontal conditions that were causing dental loss of the central incisors. In Becker's redrawing of Weinberger's illustration of the Alexandria appliance it became evident that no means of providing tension or a secure bond is evident between the incisors. Direct observations of the Tanagra appliance were made by Becker at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens in June, 2002 through a permit issued by the Ministry of Culture.
