A sword stuck in a rock in France for 1,300 years has mysteriously vanished
An ancient Durandal sword, often compared to a French version of King Arthur¡¯s legendary Excalibur sword, has vanished from a rock where it was stuck for over 1,300 years. The sword was embedded in a cliff in the hilltop village of Rocamadour, south-central France, 10 meters off the ground.?However, recently, the sword, which was chained, has gone missing in what the police say could be an act of theft.?
Legend of Durandal sword
The sword is believed to belong to Roland, a legendary paladin (knight) and officer of Charlemagne in French epic literature. According to legend, Durandal was a gift from an angel and was indestructible. It was also said to be the sharpest sword in all existence, capable of cutting through giant boulders with a single strike.
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How it ended on the rock
Regarding how the sword ended up on the rock, legend says that before his death at the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, Roland tried to break it to prevent his enemies from seizing it, but since it was indestructible, he couldn't. So he threw it into the air, and the sword traveled hundreds of kilometers and embedded itself in the rock face of Rocamadour.
Durandal will be missed? ?
For a very long time, Durandal had remained a major tourist attraction in the UNESCO World Heritage town. Local mayor Dominique Lenfant said the town was devastated.?
"We¡¯re going to miss Durandal. It¡¯s been part of Rocamadour for centuries, and there¡¯s not a guide who doesn¡¯t point it out when he visits," he told La D¨¦p¨ºche, a French newspaper. "Rocamadour feels it¡¯s been robbed of a part of itself, but even if it¡¯s a legend, the destinies of our village and this sword are entwined."
Police are trying to work out how someone could have stolen this sword as it was wedged ten meters up in the rock with no way of accessing it.
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