Rights Holder: Isle of Wight Council
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KEY (LOCKING)

Unique ID: IOW-E56CA3

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Published

A complete cast copper alloy rotary key, probably dating to the Medieval period (c. 1150 – c. 1400). The key has a circular bow with a central circular perforation. It has a shank, broadly oval in cross-section. Between the bow and the shank there is an indistinct shoulder. It has a bit with one cleft. The extreme end of the shank is hollow although the rim is partially broken. The key has a light green pitted patina overall. 37.1 x 4.1 x 13.0mm. Weight: 6.48g. In: “The Medieval Household, Daily Living c.1150-c.1450”, Egan (1998, 111) comments that small, crude keys with circular bows and mainly very simple bits was a long-lasting form, from at least the late 12th to the late 14th century (ibid.). He suggests that these sometimes almost rudimentary keys may have been for locks on caskets (ibid.). Many similar keys are recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database.

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod from: Early
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Subperiod to: Early
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1150
Date to: Circa AD 1400

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 37.1 mm
Width: 4.1 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight: 6.48 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 7th June 2009

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: IOW2009-1-396

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete

Spatial metadata

Region: South East (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
District: Isle of Wight (Unitary Authority)
To be known as: Isle of Wight

Spatial coordinates

Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
Discovery circumstances: Metal detecting rally
General landuse: Cultivated land
Specific landuse: Operations to a depth greater than 0.25m

References cited

Author	Publication Year	Title	Publication Place	Publisher	Pages	Reference
Egan, G.	1998	The Medieval Household: Daily Living c.1150-c.1450 (Medieval Finds from Excavations in London)	London	The Stationery Office	111

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Workflow: Awaiting validation

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Timeline of associated dates

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Audit data

Recording Institution: IOW
Created: 14 years ago
Updated: 13 years ago

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