Key
Unknown Artist
1st–3rd century
Medium
Copper alloy, iron
Dimensions
Overall: 2 x 1 3/16 x 1/2 in. (5.1 x 3 x 1.2 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Copper alloy
Culture
Roman
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1910
Accession Number
10.100.159
Art Historical Context
This unassuming Roman key, crafted from copper alloy and iron around the 1st to 3rd century CE, offers a tangible glimpse into everyday life during the height of the Roman Empire. Measuring over 2 inches long, its petite size suggests it secured personal possessions like chests, doors, or small cabinets—practical tools for a society where property and privacy were increasingly valued amid urban expansion and trade. Roman metalworkers excelled in combining durable materials like copper alloy (a bronze-like mix valued for its corrosion resistance) with iron for the functional "bit" that engaged...