Like the mythical Excalibur sword of King Arthur, a relic from 1,000 years ago was recently found lodged upright in a stone in Spain.
But while Arthur quested for the Holy Grail and gathered knight-brothers of the church on his holy mission, the sword in the stone in Spain was wielded by a Muslim.
Found 30 years ago buried upright at an archaeological site in Valencia, the sword has been restored and analyzed, with its secrets now revealed for the first time.
‘Excalibur’ is a short iron sword measuring 18 inches, (46 centimeters) with an ornate handle, that clasped the blade with bronze plates. The blade itself is of moderate size and curves slightly towards the tip, which has caused some confusion about the exact chronology since the Visigoth swords had a similar shape.
The sedimentary strata where it was found on the historic Chabas Steet however date it to Islamic times. The size of the weapon and the absence of a hand guard suggest that it may have been used by a horseman from the Andalusian caliphal era.
It is the first Islamic sword to appear in the city, according to a statement from the city council, and there is only one similar sword that was found in the excavations of Madinat al-Zahra, the caliphal city of Abd al-Rahman III, in Córdoba.
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It was found in what was likely a domestic dwelling north of what was Valencia’s Roman-era central square, or forum, showing the incredible diversity of cultures that have called the city home.
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Islamic control of the Iberian Peninsula lasted more than 600 years, but it was preceded by the Byzantines, Visigoths, Romans, and Carthaginians. The Muslims called it Al-Andalus, which provided the name for the modern region of Spain, Andalusia.
Along with establishing several prominent cities such as Cordoba, Malaga, and Almeria, the Arabs gave Spain its most iconic monument: the Al-Hambra.
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