No image is quite so compelling as that of the sword in the stone. Nor are there many bits of the Arthurian legend so likely rooted in myth, not historical fact.

In some legends, it was Merlin who put the sword in the stone, where it could only be removed by the true king of Britain (i.e., Arthur). In most versions, Excalibur and this sword are not the same weapon. Arthur is associated with many swords other than Excalibur and the Sword in the Stone, and since he probably would not have owned but a single sword throughout his life, it is fitting that the legends vary the names of his swords.

There are some creative interpretations of the meaning or true nature of the Sword in the Stone. Some theorize that the Sword in the Stone is a metaphorical retelling of the first forging of iron swords, while some say it is a clear allusion to the way bronze swords were cast prior to the Iron Age.