SWYOR-2BB5DF: Medieval Key (Locking)

Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service
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KEY (LOCKING)

Unique ID: SWYOR-2BB5DF

Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow status: Awaiting validation Find awaiting validation

A fragment of a Medieval rotary key dating from about AD 1200 - 1500. Ony the bow survives. It is quatrefoil with projecting ridges in the angles between the lobes, and circular holes through each lobe. The hole in the outmost lob is larger than the others and worn, suggesting the key was suspended from this point. A hollow or depression in the centre of the bow is filled with concretion, though the cavity does not appears to extend through the bow into a hole. The lobe adjacent to the stem is broken and the stem and bit are missing. The key has a glossy green patina. It is 38.1mm long, 31.1mm wide and 6.4mm thick. 19.3g.

Some very similar examples are PUBLIC-03E28D and LVPL-28CA02. The former cites Read, B., 2001 Metal artefacts of antiquity: A catalogue of small finds from specific areas of the United Kingdom Langport: Portcullis Publishing p.70, fig.44, no.525. Compare also NLM-FE98E4 which nites that: "The quatrefoil bow is a characteristic of Later Medieval keys from London (Ward Perkins 1940, plate 29 nos 14-17), though such complex forms are rarer than simple round or kidney shaped bows."

Subsequent actions

Subsequent action after recording: Returned to finder

Chronology

Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1200
Date to: Circa AD 1500

Dimensions and weight

Quantity: 1
Length: 38.1 mm
Width: 31.1 mm
Thickness: 6.4 mm
Weight: 19.3 g

Discovery dates

Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 15th April 2018 - Sunday 15th April 2018

Personal details

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Other reference numbers

Other reference: PAS form number 3133

Materials and construction

Primary material: Copper alloy
Completeness: Fragment

Spatial metadata

Region: Yorkshire and the Humber (European Region)
County or Unitary authority: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
District: East Riding of Yorkshire (Unitary Authority)
Parish or ward: Eastrington (Civil Parish)

Spatial coordinates

4 Figure: SE7929
Four figure Latitude: 53.75139013
Four figure longitude: -0.80342051
1:25K map: SE7929
1:10K map: SE72NE
Grid reference source: Centred on field
Unmasked grid reference accurate to a 100 metre square.

Discovery metadata

Method of discovery: Metal detector
General landuse: Cultivated land

References cited

No references cited so far.

Similar objects

Find number: NLM-FE98E4
Object type: KEY (LOCKING)
Broadperiod: MEDIEVAL
Copper alloy rotary key. Cast elongated and collared quatrefoil bow and hollow stem of a large key, broken along the stem and with the bit en…
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Find number: WMID-289771
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An incomplete cast copper alloy key, dating to the 14th/ 15th century AD (length: 72.5mm; width at bow: 28mm; thickness/ diameter of shank: 7…
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Find number: SF-C8C898
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A complete, though broken copper-alloy medieval padlock slide key with the bit on the same plane as the stem. The bow is a quatrefoil in shap…
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Timeline of associated dates

Audit data

Recording Institution: SWYOR
Created: 5 years ago
Updated: 4 years ago

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