Key — Key-shaped object, Khorasan, 10th century

Key in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (museum number M.20-1971), made in Khorasan, dated 10th century. The museum's brief description reads: Object in the shape of a key, perhaps a padlock, of cast bronze, engraved and drilled, and hammered iron, both heavily corroded.. Museum description: Object of cast bronze and iron in the shape of a key. It has a rectangular head with a knop on the outer side; a prominent shoulder; and a shaft that is square in section near the shoulder, with faceted angles, but is then octagonal for most of its length. Three teeth, rectangular in section, project from the shaft. Engraved and drilled decoration. The head of the key was either hinged (Melikian-Chirvani) or acted as the shackle of the padlock (Tanavoli and Wertime), but it is now immobile due to corrosion of the metal. It has a dull green patina due to corrosion. The museum records it as bronze, iron, measuring Length 9.9 cm. These details come from the museum's own record; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.