Archaeology & History

Mystery as France's 'Excalibur' - the Durandal sword - disappears

By T.K. Randall
July 4, 2024

Image: Rocam Durandal
Credit: Patrick Clenet / CC BY-SA 3.0 (adapted) The story of Excalibur - the legendary sword pulled from the stone by King Arthur - needs no introduction, but far fewer people will have likely heard the tale of Roland and Durandal.

The story goes that Roland - a knight of French lore - was gifted the 'indestructible' sword - said to be capable of slicing boulders in half - by the emperor Charlemagne who had taken it from an angel.

For 1,300 years, the sword had been lodged in a rock face 32ft off the ground in the clifftop village of Rocamadour in southwestern France.

On Monday, however, the legendary weapon disappeared - prompting a police investigation.The theft of the artifact is particularly puzzling as its location 32ft above the ground in a secure area made it difficult to access, raising questions over how it had been taken and who was responsible.

Understandably, the local people are struggling to come to terms with its loss.

"Rocamadour feels stripped of a part of itself," the local mayor told La Depeche.

"Even if it is a legend, the destinies of our village and this sword are linked."

Source: Metro.co.uk

Tags: Durandal, Sword