Clavis

“A key. The key was used in very early times, and was probably introduced into Greece from Egypt; although Eustathius states, that in early times all fastenings were made by chains, and that keys were comparatively of a much later invention, which invention he attributes to the Laconians. We have no evidence respecting the materials of which the Greeks made their keys, but among te Romans the larger and coarser sort were made of iron. Those discovered at Pompeii and elsewhere are mostly of bronze. The annexed woodcut represents a key found at Pompeii, the size of which indicated that it was used as a door key.” — Smith, 1873

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