A SET of 200-year-old false teeth belonging to a French archbishop have gone on display for the first time.
The 18th-century porcelain dentures, found by archaeologists during a dig in London, belonged to the Archbishop of Narbonne, Arthur Richard Dillon, who died in 1806.
They were found still snugly fitting in his mouth when his coffin in St Pancras graveyard was opened during a dig ahead of building work for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link's new London terminus.
The teeth, which are at the Museum of London, were individually crafted for a perfect fit and feature gold springs.
Such dentures were invented in France in the 1770s and it is thought that Dillon possibly bought them from celebrated Parisian dentist Nicholas de Chemant.
Dillon, a leading and colourful figure in French high society, was born in Paris in 1721 and became Archbishop of Narbonne in 1763.
He fled to England in 1791 after escaping the guillotine during the French Revolution.
Museum of London archaeologist Natasha Powers, who has written a paper on the teeth for the British Dental Journal, said: "These unique artefacts reflect a pivotal time in dental history, with the adoption of new materials and methods of manufacture.
"They also represent a period of significant social and economic change for the upper echelons of French society."
The teeth are being put on display to coincide with World Smile Day, a campaign that promotes acts of kindness among people across the globe.
