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Description: | A complete hand made iron rotary key, of probable medieval dating (AD 1150 - AD 1400).The key is irregular in plan and cross section. Being made out of iron, it was probably forged. The key can be described in several sections: The bow or handle, shank and bit.The bow consists of a vertical oval, with an oval cross section. It is 52.8 mm tall and 34.7 mm wide. The shank is attached to the bow at the mid point of the right hand side.The shank consists of an rod, rectangular in plan and circular in cross section. It swells in the middle of the shank. It is 120.2 mm long and has a diameter of 12.3 mm. The shank projects 5.2 mm past the end of the bit.The bit is rectangular in plan and cross section. It extends below the shank 18.2 mm and is 22.2 mm wide and 7.8 mm thick.. The wards appear to surround a central opening, with an L shaped crest, point downwards on either side of the central opening.The key is a dark reddish brown colour and has an even patina. The patina however, is suffering from a degree of lamination, which means it can be easily flaked off from the surface, revealing bare metal underneath. Advice should be sought from an experienced Artefacts Conservator to prevent any further deterioration from occurring and to stablise the artefact.The key measures 154.5 mm in length, 12.3 mm wide and is 52.8 mm tall. It weighs 101 g.A number of very similar rotary keys are shown in G. Egan's 'Medieval Households' pages 111-119. From the size of the key and the presence of a solid shank it is likely that the key would have been used to lock a door rather than a casket or chest. Chest locks tend to have a hollow shank and are significantly smaller (ibid: 111). The keys illustrated in this volume are all dated from the late 12th - to late 14th centuries (AD 1150 - AD 1400). Therefore a similar date is suggested here for this example.Reference:Egan, G. Security Equipment in Egan 1998Egan, G. 1998 The Medieval Household Daily Living c.1150-c.1450. Medieval finds from Excavations in London 6. London. Museum of London / The Stationery Office.
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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