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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    3
    Country: Ireland

    Default 17th century key found in excavation

    Hi - I'm an Irish archaeologist and I've discovered a key in an Irish castle. The deposit is was found in dates to c. 1690 or thereabouts.

    Here is an X-Ray of our best preserved key. I'd be grateful if any of you could type it and tell me how to describe it.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Key 3.157.jpg 
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    68
    Country: United States

    Default re.

    Looks like a box of wards type key. Just ot of curiosity, why did you x-ray it? Are you not allowed to photgraph it?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    3
    Country: Ireland

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kwoswalt99 View Post
    Looks like a box of wards type key. Just ot of curiosity, why did you x-ray it? Are you not allowed to photgraph it?
    The object was covered in ferrous corrosion, so we couldn't see the shape of it until we X-rayed it. What is a box of wards? I had assumed the key was for a door or gate since the lock bit is symmetrical, but do you think it might be from a box or chest?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    68
    Country: United States

    Default re.

    A box of wards lock is just a simple type of lock from back then. I think a door or gate was probably what your key went to. I found a nice picture of this type of lock on this site. http://kajiyadanmoss.blogspot.com/20...y-to-lock.html
    The first picture kinda shows how they work.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    68
    Country: United States

    Default

    It kinda looks like it might go to a banbury type lock.
    http://www.antique-locks.com/showthr...t=banbury+lock

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    3
    Country: Ireland

    Default

    Thanks kwoswalt99 that's really helpful.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio USA
    Posts
    1,433
    Country: United States

    Default

    Just to be clear, a box of wards is only part of the lock and not all warded locks have a ward box. The warding (fixed blocking) in a lock can be simple or it can be complex. The lock itself can be simple or complex. At the height of blacksmith made warded locks of the 1500-1700's, in the best locks, both the ward boxes were complex as were the locks themselves. It is to do a disservice to the masters of the past to continue this myth that all warded locks were simple and easily opened. That link to the blogspot shows some of these better locks. Just as it is today, some locks are picked quickly, some not so quickly. Doug

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