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Description: | Copper alloy Rotary Key. Cast elongated and collared quatrefoil bow and hollow stem of a large key, broken along the stem and with the bit entirely lost. The stem was probably drilled to achieve its hollow form, and the slight misalignment of the drill appears to have introduced weakness causing breakage. Heavily worn, abraded, with loss of bit and part of bow. A hollow stem is traditionally considered characteristic of casket keys. The quatrefoil bit is a characteristic of Later Medieval keys from London (Ward Perkins 1940, plate 29 nos 14-17), though such complex forms are rarer than simple round or kidney shaped bows. There are, however, also Roman keys with openwork bows, and Roman material is frequently reported from the vicinity. Suggested date: Probably Late Medieval, 1400-1500.Length: 75.5mm, Width (bow): 27mm, Thickness (bow): 5.6mm, Diameter (stem clear of collar): 8.5mm, Weight: 24.15gms.
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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