Chemical Analysis Confirms Authenticity of Italy's Sword in the Stone.
A chemical analysis of the sword in the stone at the Montesiepi Chapel in Siena, Italy, suggests that it is an authentic artifact from the late twelfth century, consistent with the legend of Galgano Guidotti, a knight turned saint who thrust his sword into the stone as a symbol of abandoning his violent life. The composition of the metal did not reveal the use of modern alloys, and the fingerprints of trace elements within the sword's metal matched those found in iron slag from the same time period. The hilt protruding from the rock and the sword blade underneath are one piece, but how the sword got there remains a mystery.