Szczerbiec
Szczerbiec, the jagged coronation sword of the kings of Poland, is the only surviving piece of the medieval Polish crown jewels and is kept in the treasure vault of Wawel Castle in Kraków. Its name comes from the Polish szczerba, 'gap' or 'notch', and legend attributes the damage to Bolesław the Brave, said to have struck the blade against the Golden Gate of Kiev in 1018, though the gate was not built until 1037 and the surviving sword dates to the thirteenth century. The hilt is decorated with Christian symbols, floral ornament and magical formulae, and a narrow slit in the blade holds a smal