Rights Holder: West Yorkshire Archaeology Advisory Service
CC License:
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Unique ID: SWYOR-2BB5DF
Object type certainty: Certain
Workflow
status: 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 action after recording: Returned to finder
Broad period: MEDIEVAL
Period from: MEDIEVAL
Period to: MEDIEVAL
Date from: Circa AD 1200
Date to: Circa AD 1500
Quantity: 1
Length: 38.1 mm
Width: 31.1 mm
Thickness: 6.4 mm
Weight: 19.3 g
Date(s) of discovery: Sunday 15th April 2018 - Sunday 15th April 2018
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Other reference: PAS form number 3133
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.
No references cited so far.