Medieval Bronze Casket Key

mattdiver · Feb 8, 2016

Hello Folks
I've just found the Medieval casket key
Never found one before. The finds Liason officer thinks it's 14th century.
All I need to do is find the casket
You just never know in our great hobby!
Keep hunting.
Thanks.

ImageUploadedByTreasureNet.com1454968581.702796.webp

Anduril · Feb 8, 2016

mattdiver said:
Hello Folks
I've just found the Medieval casket key
Never found one before. The finds Liason officer thinks it's 14th century.
All I need to do is find the casket with some nice booty in it.
You just never know in our great hobby!
Keep hunting.
Thanks. View attachment 1270297

Well, let's hope it's "booty" and not "body" that you find in that casket !!
Nice find!

A2coins · Feb 8, 2016

I don't think her booty will be nice anymore Kiddin that is a cool find the history of it and kind of erie Good job

trapperart · Feb 8, 2016

Very nice find congrats

DirtStalker · Feb 8, 2016

Cool find. But why do they find it necessary to lock coffin? Has your country had a problem of people wanting out? :laughing7:

can · Feb 8, 2016

nice find

CRUSADER · Feb 9, 2016

I wouldn't classify it as a 'casket key', for starters its twice the size & even the small ones at about 3.5cm are unlikely to have been used on a small box. Locks on boxes of that period were hugely expensive & only reversed for the rich. The numbers we find them in indicate a different function, in fact its likely they had no function at all other than as Robfinds suggestions - a kind of pilgrims pendant. (Key to heaven symbol). I've met a Medieval Box maker who has done lots of research on locks & boxes of this period, who can't explain the number of keys we get.
As its larger & 14th C is fine, it could be a door key, but only if the broken bit was symmetrical to enable it to work from both sides of the door.
If its from a strong box, not a small casket, then it was a high status piece & the key didn't turn in the way we think of keys today. It was a half turn & sliding bolt mechanism, although we are talking British & not some of the more advanced German versions.