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Description: | Medieval to Post Medieval (c. 1275 - 1650) rotary key: The handle/bow is missing of this copper alloy key, but the shank and bit remain. The shank is a rounded hexagonal in section, with an off-centre circular perforation through its length. The broken terminal of the shank is not a recent break at the patina covers the break. The bit is off-set and is formed with a pair of integral rectangular blocks two horizontal clefts on the exterior side edges, and the lower edge has a row of smaller rectangular clefts, with a ward being bent. The surface of the key has a mid brown/green coloured patina. In length it measures 51.69mm, and the widest point, at the bit and shank is 22.95mm. The thickness of the shank is 10.38mm. It weighs 35.3g.A similar hollow key is illustrated in Margeson (1993) No. 1279 which is dated to the first half of the 17th century. Another example in Egan (1998), No. 313, which also has a hollow shank, hexagonal section, and large bit dates to the late 13th to mid 14th centuries.Egan, G. 1998 The Medieval Household Daily Living c. 1150-c.1450 London, The Stationary OfficeMargeson, S. 1993 Norwich Households; Medieval and Post Medieval Finds from Norwich Survey Excavations 1971-78. East Anglian Archaeology Report No. 58
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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