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Description: | A slightly incomplete medieval cast copper alloy rotary key. The bow is broadly square shaped in plan, orientated with its corners on the vertical and horizontal planes, and with the sides gently curving rather than being entirely straight. There are knops at three of the corners of the bow, with the fourth corner adjoining the shank. The knop opposite the shank is narrower but more protruding than the other two. There is a large circular perforation within the bow filling most of the area. The shank is sub-circular in section, narrowing and becoming more ovoid towards the bow. There are scars on the upper and lower surfaces of the shank, likely to be from finishing the cast alloy key. There is a bulbous collar where the bow joins the shank. This collar has transverse linear grooves on the upper and lower surfaces, suggesting that the collar was formed of three rounded bands, but this detail is worn from the sides of the key. The shank has a central perforation within its terminal above the large bit. Channels run the length of the bit immediately below the shank (on both of the long sides), and there is a further channel running down the centre of the bit at the base. A cleft runs down the entire height of the bit, effectively dividing it into two. The portion towards the bow has no further detail, although there is a shallow platform at the bow end of the bit adjoining the shank. The portion of the bit nearest the terminal of the shank has two sets of wards and two clefts, although there has been some loss of material from the terminal and the shank above it. The bit is joined to the shank on 19.7mm of its 21.6mm remaining length, the two being separated by a 3.7mm wide cleft at the terminal of the shank.The key weights 38.83 g. It is 85.8mm long, with a maximum width of 29.3mm (across the bow) and a maximum of 9.6 mm thick (at the bit). The rotary key has a smooth green patina, but on some areas a corroded, lighter green powdery pitted surface is present.In the Museum of London's "Medieval Catalogue" (1940 p133-144), Ward Perkins has introduced a classification system for door and chest keys. The key described in this record is most closely related to his Type VI. Ward Perkins describes the type: "They are characterized by the solid shank, bored at the end to leave a conical hole, by the massive bit, and by the elaborate form of the bow. The latter may be lobed or lozenge-shaped or a combination of both, and occasionally the corners of the lozenge are elaborated..." (p140). Ward Perkins dates a number of closely related copper alloy keys of Type VI to the 14th and 15th centuries, and this may be an appropriate date range for this key.
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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