"The grave was discovered as part of the Cemeteries from Space program that uses satellite imagery to detect previously unknown graves by scrutinizing crop marks. Areas where the ground was previously churned up, as it is when a grave is dug, grow grain that is brighter green and more dense because the looser soil retains and then drains water more effectively. The roots grow deeper as well."
"One site, a privately-owned field on the border of Szekesfehervar, showed indicators of a large cemetery with at least 400 graves, plus a smaller cemetery nearby. Two graves in the large cemetery have now been unearthed. They both date to the Avar period (7th-8th century A.D.). One of them contained the saber, an extremely rare find in Avar graves exclusive to individuals of the highest rank."
A rare Avar-era saber was recovered from the grave of an adult male near Székesfehérvár, the first such find in the region in 46 years. The grave was located using the Cemeteries from Space program, which identifies crop marks in satellite imagery where churned soil produces brighter, denser grain and deeper roots. Excavations by the Hungarian National Museum and King Stephen Museum revealed a large cemetery with hundreds of graves; two Avar-period tombs were opened. The saber, a marker of highest rank, accompanied gilded hair ornaments and a pressed bronze belt fitting. The heavily encrusted blade suffered chemical corrosion from agricultural treatments, prompting construction of a custom wooden frame to remove the soil block for laboratory micro-excavation, conservation and stabilization.
Read at www.thehistoryblog.com
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