KEY (LOCKING)

A complete copper-alloy Roman tumbler lock slide key. It measures 37mm in total length. The stem of this key is rectangular measuring 34.9mm in length, two thirds of the handle is c12.5mm in width, the last third, joining onto the bit is also rectangular but only 6.3mm in width. The stem is c6mm thick. It has an oval loop or bow at its terminal. The front face and the sides of the stem are decorated with three pairs of transverse grooves, one pair after the loop, one in the centre of the stem and the final pair where the stem joins the bit.

The bit of the key projects from the handle at right angles. It is rectangular in shape measuring 19.3mm in length, 11.7mm in width and 5.9mm in thickness. The bit has six teeth, arranged to two opposing rows of three, one tooth is now missing due to an old break.

Crummy (1983, 125) explains that slide keys, such as this example, raised the tumblers engaged in the bolt by pushing them up from underneath. When the teeth of the key lifted the tumblers they were themselves engaged in the bolt and thus the key rather than a cord could be used to slide the bolt. Similar slide keys have been discovered at Colchester (Crummy 1983, 126, fig 140) and at Hitcham, Suffolk, see SF-9B5D66.