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Description: | An incomplete cast copper alloy key (locking) dating to the Roman period, (AD 43-410). Only the handle survives while the stem, and bit are missing. The handle is in the form of an openwork fleur-de-lis consisting of three outwardly expanded loops, the central one of which is slightly larger. One outer loop is flanked by a slight leaf-shaped moulding on the outside. The opposite loop has a recent break where the moulding would have been repeated. At the top of the object is an incomplete rounded know which probably would have formed an acorn-shaped knop when complete as can be seen with Booth, A (2014) LEIC-034BE4 A ROMAN KEY (LOCKING) Webpage available at: http://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/605979.At the base of the handle is a triple moulded collar below which the object narrows forming a waist before expanding to a double moulded collar. Some iron corrosion remains just above the break indicating that the stem would have been iron. Below the lower collar is a recent break where the stem would have projected. The object has a mid-brown patina and is in good condition.A similar example was found during excavations at Colchester and Crummy (1983, 126, no.4161) suggests that keys of this form all date to post AD 150.
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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