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Description: | Complete cast copper alloy Roman ring-key. The hoop of the ring is D-shaped in plan and sub oval in section. The hoop is narrower towards the bottom than the opposite portion that joins the bezel. The hoop is 20.96mm in diameter, 3.94mm wide at the shoulders and narrows to 2.82mm at the bottom. The hoop is 2.06mm thick at the shoulders and narrows to 1.84mm. Extending from the flat top portion of hoop is the integral key element of the ring. It extends horizontally away from the hoop at 90 degrees. The bit of the key is sub circular in section. It is 15.72mm long, 4.98mm wide and 4.34mm thick. It is solid, though a casting fault has resulted in a small, semi circular sectioned exposed 'socket' approximately 5mm long. Extending from the long side of the bit, running parallel with the top of the hoop are two teeth. One is rectangular with a small V shaped notch at its tip, whilst the other is rectangular with a semicircular notch at the top and a square notch at the bottom, to the outer edge. The teeth are 10.7mm long, 3.64mm wide and 5.98mm wide respectively and 2.4mm thick. The object weighs 5.10g.The original surface of the ring is missing and exposed surfaces are light green and brown.Catherine Johns (1996, The Jewellery of Roman Britain, page 55) explains that ring-keys were used throughout the Roman period and are hard to date except from within a secure context. Crummy, 1983, (The Roman small finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-9) records two examples (2164 and 2169) which she suggests are from the 3rd or 4th century. Both authors suggest that these small keys were used in rotary locks on small caskets and were worn for ultimate security. However Johns also considers that some keys were purely fashionable and not functional (Geake, 2001 Finds Recording Guide, page 49).
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/r... | Go to resource |
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