Antique key found in Spain may unlock Alhambra secrets

José Antonio Fernández, a judicial expert in archaeology, discovered an antique key in a suitcase he purchased at a flea market in Málaga, Spain.

He found the key hidden in a false bottom of the suitcase alongside documents and drawings linked to the Alhambra, a historic palace and fortress in Granada.

Fernández believes the key dates back to the Nasrid dynasty, the Muslim rulers of Granada from the 13th to 15th centuries, and may have opened a tower or dungeon within the Alhambra complex. The expert initially acquired the suitcase and its contents, plans from 1886, at a secondhand market in Benalmádena. While organizing his storage, he examined the suitcase more closely and found the iron key.

He connected the key to the Alhambra because the accompanying documents originated with Manuel Gómez-Moreno, a key figure in the study and conservation of the monument. Fernández compared the key’s structure, material, and shape to other known keys from the Alhambra, noting its 27-centimeter length matches those used during the Nasrid period. He acknowledges identifying the key is difficult due to worn teeth, but believes the evidence strongly suggests it once secured a part of the Alhambra.

He has offered to collaborate with relevant institutions to further investigate the find and the associated plans, which he previously exhibited at a municipal library.