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Description: | A broken cast copper-alloy medieval rotary key. Only the bow survives and the shank and bit are entirely missing. The bow is lozenge shaped with four circular holes, one in each angle of the lozenge. The two side angles of the lozenge each terminate in a sub-oval knop. The bow terminates in a hollow circular tubular loop (external diameter 14.7 mm) set at 90 degrees to the bow; its outside is decorated with three ribs. Two channels are formed by the bow within the tube. There is collared barrel moulding at the junction of the bow and the shank, where the shank is broken and missing. What remains of the key measures 44.3 mm in length, 30.85 mm in width, 4.16 mm thick and weighs 20.4 grams.The knop on the bow may possibly have been designed to be used as another key, although it is possible it could simply be for suspension.Two keys with tubular loops on the bow are published in Ward Perkins 1940 (reprinted 1967, London Museum Medieval Catalogue): no.13 p140 (Aldgate) and no.14 p.141 (London), both Type VI, illustrated on plate XXIX. Ward Perkins suggests that the loop is for suspension as 'is well illustrated on the brass of Archbishop Jacobus de Sonno at Gnezen, Poland 1480; and the late date of this example, coupled with the elaborate form of bow which is often accompanies, indicate that this feature probably belongs to the 15th century'.See HESH-6D9EB6 (Shropshire), HESH-B6B1A2 (Shropshire), WMID-289771 (Shropshire), WMID-7734E3 (Staffs), and WMID-FA36E1 (Staffs) on this database for parallels. Other keys with tubular loops on the bow include NARC-ECDE66 (Staffs), DENO-407062 (Lincs), DENO-701E50 (Notts), WMID-8D3540 (Shropshire), HESH-391D04 (Shropshire), WMID-986EE4 (Staffs), WMID-2CF137 (Staffs), WMID-8306A0 (Staffs), WMID-DA3604 (Staffs), WMID-070A15 (Staffs) and DENO-12B187 (Derbs).
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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