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Description: | Roman (2nd-4th century) rotary key handle: The handle is made from cast copper alloy with traces of iron at the terminal leading to the stem and bit. The handle is trilobate or trifoliate in overall form composed of central heart-shaped lobe, and asymmetrical, inverted drop-shaped side lobes that lean inwards and allow the handle to taper. The base of these side lobes terminate with a rectangular block, which is decorated with moulded transverse ridges and grooves on each face. Projecting from the opposite face to the handle, there is a integral, hollow, cylindrical socket that contains traces of the original iron key. The socket is cracked which is possibly due to the iron corroding and expanding. The iron corrosion and break is not recent. The handle has a heavy dark green-brown coloured patina which is incomplete. It measures 75.19mm in length, 42.25mm in width, 11.27mm in thickness, and 43.84g in weight.This is the handle from a Roman key, probably a rotary key, with parallels noted from Colchester (Crummy, 1983: No. 4161) and Hacheston (Seeley, 2004: Nos. 304-305). It is of probable 2nd-4th century date, c.100-410.Crummy, N., 1983Colchester Archaeological Report 2: The Roman Small Finds from Excavations in Colchester 1971-9. Colchester: Colchester Archaeological Trust.Seely, F., 2004. Chapter 4: The Small Finds in Blagg. In T. Blagg, J. Plouviez, and A. TesterExcavations at a large Romano-British settlement at Hacheston, Suffolk in 1973-4.Ipswich: East Anglian Archaeology Report No. 106
Original Image | Publisher: | http://finds.org.uk | Source: | Portable Antiquities | Identifier: | https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/ | Go to resource |
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