10th-13th century AD. A copper-alloy slide key for a slide lock, the shaft with an open circular projection to one end and a larger openwork rectangular projection to the other end terminating with a T-shaped extension. 8.5 grams, 54mm wide (2"). From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister; from her collection formed 1960s-1990s. There is much discsion among the scholars on such slide keys, known popularly as 'Viking' keys. According to Kevin Leahy '...they do look something like the keys thate from Viking graves and from Viking sites but I have never seen an example that had the 'T' shaped extension for the end of the bit and I can't actually see how this would have functioned in a slide lock.' An iron example was found at Coppergate in York, in a 12th to 13th century context. [No Reserve]