Editing Abseiling (section)

== History ==
Abseiling has existed, both using body abseil and [[Descender (caving equipment)|descenders]] for centuries, with body abseiling being mentioned in the late 1400s,<ref name="ukcavingmain">{{cite web|url=https://www.cavinguk.co.uk/info/verticalterminology.html#bodyabseil|title=Body abseil history|website=www.CavingUK.co.uk|access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref> and descenders being described in the early 1600s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cavinguk.co.uk/info/verticalterminology.html#descender|title=Descender history|website=www.CavingUK.co.uk|access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref>

The origin of the ''term'' rappel in reference to the technique is attributed by Mountaineering author {{ill|Roger Frison-Roche|fr|Roger Frison-Roche|ca|Roger Frison-Roche|de|Roger Frison-Roche|eo|Roger Frison-Roche|pt|Roger Frison-Roche}} circa 1944.<ref>Roger Frison-Roche and Sylvain Jouty. ''A History of Mountain Climbing''. Paris, France: Flammarion, 1996. {{ISBN|2-08-013622-4}}. 302.</ref> Frison-Roche in turn attributed the ''technique'' of rappelling to {{Interlanguage link|Jean Charlet-Straton|fr|Jean Charlet-Straton}}, a [[Chamonix]] guide who lived from 1840 to 1925. However, at the time, the term rappel meant to use a doubled rope that could be pulled down afterwards, and did not necessarily refer to abseiling,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cavinguk.co.uk/info/verticalterminology.html#abseiling|title=Abseiling history|website=www.CavingUK.co.uk|access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref> and while Frison-Roche may have used a doubled rope technique, he did not use an abseiling technique devised by Charlet-Straton.<ref name="ukcavingmain" /> Different approaches for using a doubled rope had already been described in the late 1700s and by Edward Whymper around 1860, though neither case were used with what would be considered abseiling.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cavinguk.co.uk/info/verticalterminology.html#pullthrough|title=Pull-through history|website=www.CavingUK.co.uk|access-date=2024-01-23}}</ref> Charlet-Straton then used another doubled rope technique which was called the rappel during a failed solo attempt of [[Petit Dru]] in 1876. The technique he used to descend the rope would not normally be considered abseiling, and had already been described numerous times long before he used it, with most authors saying it risked injuries.<ref name="ukcavingmain" /> After many attempts, some of them solo, he managed to reach the summit of the Petit Dru in 1879 in the company of two other hired Chamonix guides, Prosper Payot and Frédéric Folliguet.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP50/77-mountain-profile-the-aguille-du-drus-1871-1925|title=Jean-Esteril Charlet and Mary Isabella Straton: A Fairy Tale|website=Alpinist.com|date=16 June 2015 |access-date=2019-02-01}}</ref> During that ascent, Charlet-Straton again used the technique, with his companions assisting.