Iron key
description
Slide key with L-shaped bit. The handle is rectangular with slightly expanded circular ‘eye’. The bit has four teeth.
One of the more common forms of key used in Roman Britain. The form is known to have pre-Roman (continental) ancestry and use would seem to span the Roman period in Britain.
Possibly deliberately deposited in a grave and associated with the native goddess Epona and symbolic significance for unlocking the gates of eternity.
Other information & metadata
Site location: Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Project type: Archaeological excavation
Site type: Roman/medieval town
Discovery context: Grave
Collections:
Artefact type
Period
Material
Location
Dimensions
Length: 55mm
