Rights Holder: Colchester and Ipswich Museum Service
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Unique ID: ESS-B0D011
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: Awaiting validation
A Roman copper alloy rotary key, dating AD 43-410. The object jas been bent out of shape but it's origianl form is still visible. It has a suspension loop at one end and th key bit at the opposite end with four teeth. The bit would have been cast at a 90degree perependicular angle to the key shank. The shank is decorated with a triple collar below the loop and a double collar slightly further down the shank to form a handle. The metal is a mid-light green colour.
A similar example can be found at the online resource "Roman keys" (Martell, no 291). It cannot be more securely dated as no other parallels have been found.
Dimensions: length: 56.69 mm; width (as bent): 18.95 mm; thickness: 5.84 mm; weight: 35.47g .
Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: ROMAN
Period from: ROMAN
Period to: ROMAN
Date from: Circa AD 43
Date to: Circa AD 410
Quantity: 1
Length: 56.69 mm
Width: 18.95 mm
Thickness: 5.84 mm
Weight: 35.47 g
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Primary material: Copper alloy
Manufacture method: Cast
Completeness: Complete
4 Figure: TL5714
Four figure Latitude: 51.80260453
Four figure longitude: 0.27561353
1:25K map: TL5714
1:10K map: TL51SE
Grid reference source: Generated from computer mapping software
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 1 metre square.
No references cited so far.