The Menil Collection The Menil Collection

The most commonly used type of key in Byzantine society was the turning key, which in basic function is identical to some old-fashioned locks still in use today. Channels and notches cut into the edges of the keys’ bits provide security, as these must correspond precisely to the internal mechanisms of the lock to release or secure the latch or closure. The additional perforations and patterns within the contours of the bits, however, are purely decorative. The crude workmanship and the limited size and variations of surviving bits indicate that a few such keys could have opened many of the locks in the Byzantine Empire; they nevertheless provided a basic level safekeeping for households and businesses. Most turning keys from this era were attached to metal hoops. These hoops were often (though not always) embellished—serrated, beaded, formed into quatrefoils, or decorated with openwork patterns or heraldic animals. The hoop was typically attached to the barrel of the key with a moveable joint, suggesting they could be worn like a ring on the hand, with the key folded into the wearer’s palm. The prominent bezels included on many key hoops further support this assumption. They share the same design as signet rings from the era. Keys and seals shared the same basic security function at this time: keys locked doors or gates, and seals secured documents or envelopes.