Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Service
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Unique ID: SWYOR-F1D5D6
Object type certainty: Certain
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status: Published
Elaborate Roman zoomorphic key handle. The key handle has a large square shaped socket with iron staining around the inside and on the edges. The square socket morphs into the body of a crouching lion with oustretched front paws and bent hind legs. The lions front legs are wrapped either side of a rams head which it is striking down. The animals are depicted in fine detail; the lion has particularly detailed mane and paws. The ram has small silver patches on each eye and inside the lions open mouth there are several small holes where there may have been teeth at some time.
A very similar example of the key handle can be seen in a French document written in 1957 by Germaine Faider-Feytmans entitled 'Recueil des bronzes de bavai'. The paper was written for the 'Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique'.
The key handle measures 114.5mm in length, 44.2mm in height, 29.38mm in thickness (at the socket) and 27.8mm in thickness across the lions body.
Class: Handle
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: AD 400
Quantity: 1
Length: 114.5 mm
Width: 44.2 mm
Thickness: 29.38 mm
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Incomplete
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.
No references cited so far.