Rights Holder: The Portable Antiquities Scheme
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Unique ID: IOW-21AE54
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A complete and misshapen Medieval copper-alloy rotary key (1150-1400).
This key consists of three elements, the bow or handle, shank and bit.
The bow is circular in plan and flat on both faces. It has a diameter of 15.14mm and is 2.16mm thick. There is no collar between the bow and the shank. The shank, which projects beyond the end of the bit with a tapering end, is solid and is oval in cross-section measuring 4.95 x 3.77mm. The bit (7.38 x 6.77 x 3.00mm) is sub-rectangular and has a small cleft at the rear.
This key is green and corroded
Length: 37.12mm; width: 15.14mm; thickness: 3.77mm. Weight: 4.32g.
A discussion and illustrations of Medieval rotary keys can be found in Egan 1998: 110-118.
Egan, G. 1998. The Medieval Household Daily Living c.1150-c.1450. Medieval finds from Excavations in London 6. London. Museum of London: The Stationery Office.
Current location of find: Finder
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Exactly AD 1150
Date to: Exactly AD 1400
Quantity: 1
Length: 37.12 mm
Width: 15.14 mm
Thickness: 3.77 mm
Weight: 4.32 g
Date(s) of discovery: Wednesday 12th March 2014
This information is restricted for your access level.
Other reference: IOW2014-1-50
Grid reference source: GPS (from the finder)
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
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 | 110-118 |