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Description: | A slightly corroded, incomplete and damaged cast copper-alloy finger-ring with integral key dating to the Roman period (c. 3rd/4th century AD). Just over half of the hoop is missing following old breaks. To one side the hoop continues, but bent, it is assumed, such that it is more or less in the same plane as the bezel/bit. Originally, again it is assumed, as is usual with such artefacts the bit protruded at right angles to the bezel such that the key element lay flat on the finger. The simple bit is L-shaped with a single protruding ward circular in cross-section and hollow, a internal loss to one side confirms this.Roman ring-keys fall into Guiraud's type 5 classification, this being a type 5d. A number can be found illustrated in Johns (1996, 56; fig. 3.15) and Crummy (1983, 84; fig. 89). They tend to be given a 3rd- or 4th-century date. This example has corroded to a dark-green colour with patches of off-white corrosion product in places.
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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