Iron, intricately and skillfully made of several pieces with brazed seams. About 2 1/8” height with tapered cylindrical body laminated with decorative reinforcing panels each side, housing the mechanism and integral projections anchoring and engaging the shank. See The Mastermyr Find, which illustrates the contents of a Viking tool chest recovered in Gotland Sweden. Plate 19 illustrates several very similar padlocks. A lock of this size could secure a door hasp and it is precisely suitable for securing chains and shackles for slaver traders. Vikings were very active slavers, raiding coastal Mediterranean towns and selling the captives in North Africa. As well, is it said that every Viking homestead would have had an outbuilding for one or more slaves. Professionally conserved with some losses to the metal with the shank moving freely.
