ON THE
DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION
OF
PRIMITIVE LOCKS AND KEYS.
BY
Lieut.-General PITT-RIVERS, F.R.S.
ILLUSTRATED BY SPECIMENS IN THE PITT-RIVERS COLLECTION.
[The materials for this paper, together with the rest of the Museum,have been in course of Collection since the year 1851, and some of thespecimens illustrated have been exhibited to the public at BethnalGreen and South Kensington for some years.]
LONDON:
CHATTO AND WINDUS, PICCADILLY.
1883.
LONDON:
HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS IN ORDINARY TO HER MAJESTY,
ST. MARTIN'S LANE.
ON THE
DEVELOPMENT AND DISTRIBUTION
OF
PRIMITIVE LOCKS AND KEYS.
Etymology of words for Locks and Keys:—"Klu," the Greco-Italian base,to lock (Fick), from the Sanskrit "Klu," to move(Benfey and Monier Williams); "Klavi," key(Fick); "κλϵὶς," Greek, a key; "κλϵὶστρον,"Greek, a bolt or bar; "Claustrum," Latin, a lock, bar, or bolt;"Claudo," Latin, to close or shut; "Clausum," Latin, an enclosed space;"Clausura," Latin, a castle; "Clavis," Latin, a key; "Clavus," Latin, anail; "Clef," French, a key; "Clou," French, a nail; "Clo," Gaelic, anail, pin, or peg; "Clo," Irish, a nail or pin; "Glas," Irish, a lock;"Clo," Welsh, a lock; "Clar," Bourguignon, a key; "Clau," Frenchprovincial, a key; "Clav," old Spanish, a key; "Chiave," Italian, akey; "Chave," Portuguese, a key; "Close," English, to shut. From thesame root, "Klu," to move, comes also "Sklu" (Skeat), fromwhich is derived the Teutonic "Slut," to shut, and from thence theDutch "Slot," a lock, and also a castle, from "Sluiten," to shut; oldFriesic "Slot," from "Sluta," to shut; Low German "Slot." Thus also theEnglish provincial word "Slot," a bolt; "Schloss," German, a lock, andalso a castle; "Schlüssel," German, a key. From the Latin "Sero," toput, comes "Sera," Latin, a movable bar or bolt; "Serrure," French, alock; "Serratura," Italian, a lock. The French word "Verrou," a bolt;Wallon "Verou" or "Ferou;" Bourguignon "Varullo;" Provincial "Verroth,""Berroth," and "Ferroth;" Portuguese "Ferrolho." The forms in "f"appear to indicate a derivation from the Latin "ferrum," iron. TheEnglish word "Lock" is derived from the Teutonic base, "Luck," to lock(Fick); "Loc," Anglo-Saxon, a lock; "Lock," Friesic, a lock;"Lukke," Danish, a lock; "Loca," Icelandic, a lock or latch, or the lidof a chest; "Lock," Swedish, a lid; "Loke," Wallon; "Luycke," Flemish;"Loquet," French, a catch. In Early English it was pronounced "loke"(Skeat). The English word "Latch" is probably the same as theDanish "Laas," a lock; "Las," Swedish, a lock; "Luchetto," Italian, alatch. Skeat derives it from the Anglo-Saxon word "lœccan,"to seize; in Early English it was pronounced "Lacche," and he suggeststhe probability of its being derived from the Latin word "Laqueus," asnare, but this is doubtful. "Hasp," English, is derived from theTeutonic base, "Hapsa;" "Hæpsa," Anglo-Saxon; "Hespa," Icelandic;"Haspe," Danish; "Haspe," Swedish; "Haspe," German. "Moraillon," theFrench word for "hasp," is of uncertain origin, but ...