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Description: | An incomplete cast copper-alloy key of probable Roman date. Only the bit survives, the remainder of the object now missing due to old breaks. It has an oval sectioned shaft with off-centre circular aperture that terminates in old breaks at the bit. The bit itself is in line with the stem and is cylindrical in form with U-shaped groove running down the centre of its outer edge. This is transected by a series of three deep transverse grooves, the central groove extending to the shaft and thus separating the bit into two halves, each with four 'teeth'. The outer of the two groups has an additional transverse groove on its outer face where bit and shaft join. The entire object has a worn green/brown patina and measures 31.84mm in length, 21.59mm in height, 10.13mm in thickness and 25.13g in weight. This is a bit from a cast copper-alloy key of Roman date. It finds parallels in complete tumble lock slide keys published from Colchester (Crummy, 1983: nos. 4150-4154) and is of Roman date, c.43-410 AD.
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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