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Source Description
This type of key, commonly used during the Byzantine period, could be easily carried, an important feature at a time when clothes had no pockets. The hoop of the key fits like a finger ring, and the short barrel can be folded into the palm of the hand. Unlike the teeth on modern keys, the slotted holes on this example are purely decorative, while the small crosses were intended to protect the owner's possessions.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
17343
label
Key
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
17343
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Key
description
This type of key, commonly used during the Byzantine period, could be easily carried, an important feature at a time when clothes had no pockets. The hoop of the key fits like a finger ring, and the short barrel can be folded into the palm of the hand. Unlike the teeth on modern keys, the slotted holes on this example are purely decorative, while the small crosses were intended to protect the owner's possessions.
provenance
William T. / Henry Walters Collection, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
5th-7th century (Late Antique)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Metal
keys
imageCount
1
pageCount
1
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
9.3
height
5.3
depth
1.4
dimensionsRaw
3 5/8 x 2 1/16 x 9/16 in. (9.3 x 5.3 x 1.4 cm)
Source extras
cul
Byzantine
med
bronze
creator_ids
6640
collection_ids
ROM
exhibition_ids
2718
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
f93564349bdf871a