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Description: | Medieval cast copper-alloy rotary key for a small lock, probably on a casket. The key has an oval bow with a circular hole through it, a shank with an oval cross section and a simple rectangular bit with two opposing notches half way down the sides. The end of the shank is hollow with a deep recess. The shank and bow taper in thickness from 3.7mm at the end of the shank to 1.2mm at the bow, the bit steps in on both faces to 1.8mm thick just below its junction wuith the shank. It is slightly bent in plan, now 30.9mm long, the bow is 11.1mm wide, the shaft 4.6 by 3.3mm and the bit 6.6mm long by 7.9mm wide; it weighs 3.34 grams.In: "The Medieval Household, Daily Living c.1150-c.1450", Egan (1998, p111) comments that small, crude keys with circular bows and mainly very simple bits were a long-lasting form, in use from at least the late 12th to the late 14th century. He suggests that these sometimes almost rudimentary keys may have been for locks on caskets (ibid). Several similar keys can be seen on the database including HAMP-B42931 and ESS-63BA54.
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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