KEY (LOCKING)

An incomplete probable Roman copper-alloy composite rotary key (c. 150-c. 410).

This key, now in two pieces, has an elaborate openwork handle with a square-sectioned socket which is cylindrical inside. The handle has a central upright which is square in cross-section with an opening at each side. The outer side of each opening is missing due to breaks. Beneath the end of the handle, at each side of the central upright, there is small 'spur'. The handle terminated with a kidney shaped opening. However, only stubs of this feature survive due to breaks. Above the central upright there is a small bifurcated projection. The socket measures 13.7 x 13.7mm and has a length of 23.8mm. Each face of the socket has moulded parallel ribs and grooves as decoration. The depth of the cylinder within the socket is 22.2mm and the diameter is 8.1mm. This socket would have accommodated a separate stem which was probably made of copper-alloy as there is no iron staining around the opening.

This handle is drab green with areas of active corrosion. The breaks are old.

Length: 60.0mm; width: 31.5mm; thickness: 13.7mm. Weight: 40.41g.

For very similar key handles see: HAMP-38FEE4; HAMP-830696 and WILT-8FF132.

Similar openwork/tri-lobate/fleur-de-lis key handles have been recorded on The Portable Antiquities Scheme database. See finds: BERK-F111D1; BM-DF983E; DUR-1F61D0; ESS-E75563; IOW-68CF4D; KENT-A1B9BD; LANCUM-B57FD4; LEIC-034BE4; LIN-04E834; LVPL2340; NCL-93B447; NLM-BEC72A; PUBLIC-37E325; SF-4D88EA; SF-95C3EF; SF-99CB66; SUR-FBA792; SUSS-4210D7; SWYOR-282691; SWYOR-52CE6D; SWYOR-B6D8C3 and YORYM-08E1B6.

A similar key handle with fleur-de-lis openwork has been discovered at Colchester and key handles of this type have been dated to post AD 150 (Crummy 1983: 126, fig. 142, ref: 4161).

Crummy, N. 1983. The Roman Small Finds from excavations in Colchester 1971-9. Colchester Archaeological Report 2. Colchester Archaeological Trust. Colchester.