A copper alloy slide key for a slide lock of probably late early-medieval to medieval date (900-1300). It is bent horizontally at the centre and comprises a shaft c.13mm long of rectangular cross-section, with an oval projection at one end a larger rectangular projection at the other. The shaft measures 3.1x1.8mm where the 4.9mm wide oval projection extends, presumably the terminal or handle from which it hung; this has a 2.9mm diameter piercing within it and transverse mouldings on the outside edge. The larger rectangular projection at the other end of the shaft (which measure 4.2x2.1mm just before it) is the 'slide' end of the key. This is openwork and T-shaped, measuring 13.1mm wide and 13.5mm long. The stem of the T is short and squat. To the inside edge of the horizontal, opposite the shaft, are two short vertical projections one of which is shorter than the other and presumably damaged. Beyond the stem of the T is another smaller solid T with a curved top edge (the horizontal bar).
The object measures 38.7mm in length, 13.1mm in max.width, 2.1mm in max.thickness and weighs 1.99g. The patina is lightly pitted and mid-green in colour.
There is much discussion on these type of slide keys, known popularly as 'Viking' keys, though only similar to known Viking keys (from dated contexts) in their shape. Kevin Leahy comments "they do look something like the keys that come from Viking graves and from Viking sites but I have never seen an example that had the 'T' shaped extension for the end of the bit and I can't actually see how this would have functioned in a slide lock". An iron example was found at Coppergate in York, in a 12th to 13th century context (Ottaway and Rogers 2002; 2876, 3061). A date range c.900-1300 is therefore suggested, although it should be noted that this date range may be prone to adjustment through the recovery of further examples from datable contexts.
A copper alloy slide key for a slide lock of probably late early-medieval to medieval date (900-1300). It is bent horizontally at the centre and comprises a shaft c.13mm long of rectangular cross-section, with an oval projection at one end a larger rectangular projection at the other. The shaft measures 3.1x1.8mm where the 4.9mm wide oval projection extends, presumably the terminal or handle from which it hung; this has a 2.9mm diameter piercing within it and transverse mouldings on the outside edge. The larger rectangular projection at the other end of the shaft (which measure 4.2x2.1mm just before it) is the 'slide' end of the key. This is openwork and T-shaped, measuring 13.1mm wide and 13.5mm long. The stem of the T is short and squat. To the inside edge of the horizontal, opposite the shaft, are two short vertical projections one of which is shorter than the other and presumably damaged. Beyond the stem of the T is another smaller solid T with a curved top edge (the horizontal bar).
The object measures 38.7mm in length, 13.1mm in max.width, 2.1mm in max.thickness and weighs 1.99g. The patina is lightly pitted and mid-green in colour.
There is much discussion on these type of slide keys, known popularly as 'Viking' keys, though only similar to known Viking keys (from dated contexts) in their shape. Kevin Leahy comments "they do look something like the keys that come from Viking graves and from Viking sites but I have never seen an example that had the 'T' shaped extension for the end of the bit and I can't actually see how this would have functioned in a slide lock". An iron example was found at Coppergate in York, in a 12th to 13th century context (Ottaway and Rogers 2002; 2876, 3061). A date range c.900-1300 is therefore suggested, although it should be noted that this date range may be prone to adjustment through the recovery of further examples from datable contexts.
A RDF representation of HAMP-799738
2018-09-11T11:31:15+01:00
2019-07-18T09:42:05+01:00
HAMP-799738
HAMP-799738
GB
en-GB
The Trustees of the British Museum
The Trustees of the British Museum
1
http://purl.org/NET/Claros/vocab#Thumbnail
Attribute as courtesy of the British Museum
A thumbnail image of HAMP-799738
Copper alloy
Primary material of object
Complete
13.1
Width
38.7
Length
2.1
Thickness
1.99
Weight
By Attribution 3.0
The period from for the object
Attribute as courtesy of the British Museum
A full resolution image of HAMP-799738
0900
1300
Classification of object