A way of fastening a door. Rather than a door knob, a piece of wood or metal slips over a catch or through a lock to hold the door in place. This can be a simple, old fashioned and do-it-yourself technology, cheaper than buying hardware.
"Gate latch, October 13, 2012" by Olga Filonenko is licensed under CC BY-SA.
A04 Dancehall of the Dead (02-04) p. 44
Tony Hillerman Portal