Legendary blades of the middle ages

[Imperial Dave]

https://www.medievalists.net/2025/06/sword-stone-legendary-blades-middle-ages/

Ooooooo...

[Nick Harbud]

One never realised that there are so many swords stuck in so many bits of rock.  One almost suspects it might have been one of those post-drinking party rituals.  You know, the knights are out on the town and on the way back from a skinful at the taverns, one of them suggests to another "...If you're so hard, let me see you put your sword through that rock.  Go on!"

[Cantabrigian]

One does wonder what the point of a double-pointed sword was.  Given the whole point of a point is to concentrate momentum, a plurality of points would spread the load, and hence seem, well pointless.  Can anyone point out the point for me?

We've been to Rocamadour and well worth a visit, but we didn't know to look for Durandal.  The fact that the photo shows that it's chained to the cliff to prevent theft does detract somewhat from the idea that it was placed there by a supernatural force.

I can't help thinking that any young damsels would be wise to refuse an invitation from Roland to come to his chamber and experience the power of his sword.  Especially as Arthur showed his "future potency and virility" by getting Excalibur out.

[Erpingham]

The fact that the photo shows that it's chained to the cliff to prevent theft does detract somewhat from the idea that it was placed there by a supernatural force.

It didn't stop it from being stolen though. Shame, because it is hard to tell if someone stuffed a genuine old sword into the rock or whether it is a later "replica" without a sword to examine.

[Imperial Dave]

I think the point of pointy doubled edged sword is to make sure that the person looking at the wrong end if it has the right idea about what it can do to them

[Erpingham]

A Zulfiquar sword is actually forked. I'd guess, if it is functional rather than decorative, the idea is to be able to catch enemy weapons with it.

[Imperial Dave]

Or skewer the hordeurves

[Cantabrigian]

Or skewer the hordeurves

Quite.  Invaluable when fighting animated giant olives.

[Imperial Dave]

Sneaky adversaries....