Key Handle
Unknown Artist
1st–7th century
Medium
Copper alloy
Dimensions
Overall: 1 1/2 x 1 7/16 x 3/4 in. (3.8 x 3.7 x 1.9 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Roman
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, De Souhami Collection, Rogers Fund, 1906
Accession Number
06.176.15
Art Historical Context
This delicate copper alloy key handle, from the 1st to 7th century, offers a glimpse into the everyday ingenuity of Roman life. Measuring just 1 1/2 x 1 7/16 x 3/4 inches, its compact form suggests it was part of a functional key used for securing doors, chests, or personal belongings—objects that symbolized ownership, privacy, and authority in the Roman world. Crafted during a transitional era from the height of the Empire to early medieval times, it reflects the enduring Roman influence on later European metalworking traditions. Roman artisans excelled in copper alloys like bronze, often em...