Here’s what you’ll learn when you read this story:

• A seventh-century grave, home to a warrior and a rare iron sword, was discovered in modern-day Hungary.
• The curved and decorated blade was likely for a social elite, and meant to be used while riding a horse.
• The grave was found thanks to satellite imaging.

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Robbers may have stolen some exciting artifacts from a seventh-century Avarian warrior’s grave, but they didn’t take everything. Fortunately, among what they had left behind was a stunningly rare, curved iron saber—a 1,300-year-old find that, after its recent discovery, has gone on display in a Hungarian museum.

The Szent Istvan Kiraly (King Saint Stephen) museum announced the August discovery of the grave, the impressive sword, and additional grave goods when they recently went on display. The find came thanks to the Hungarian National Museum’s Cemeteries from Space program, which uses satellite imagery to pinpoint potential archaeological sites worth exploring. This site, roughly 30 miles southwest of Budapest, was first seen in the project’s satellite images before excavation of the location unveiled the grave with its ancient warrior tucked inside.

Within the grave, which had already been at least partially looted, the team found the skeleton of what they are calling an Avar-era warrior—likely coming from the Avar kingdom in Central Europe, centered in modern-day Hungary. The bottom half of the skeleton was left untouched, while the abdomen and everything above it were scattered, likely by looters. In addition to the sword, those looters also left behind arrowheads, a silver belt, earrings with glass pearl studs, decorative metal hair braids, and a knife. The grave dates to between 670 and 690 C.E.

“These cemeteries prove that Fejer County was an important center 1,400 years ago,” said historian Gyorgy Szabados in a translated statement from the museum, according to Heritage Daily. “The saber discovery adds weight to that claim, offering both a tangible artifact and a symbol of the region’s place in early medieval history.”

Retrieving the rare saber was tricky. Though still fully intact, with a decorative blade and hilt, the piece was rusted and brittle. A volunteer crafted a type of wooden cradle to help lift the saber, along with some of the surrounding soil, from the grave, allowing for enough restoration to be completed on the saber that it could be showcased by the museum.

The curved nature of the blade, according to Live Science, was a common style used for warriors on horseback. Just who this particular warrior was, though, remains a mystery. The type of saber suggests that the individual was of a high social rank, and other expensive grave goods back that theory up.

According to Live Science, historians aren’t certain on the true beginning of the Pannonian Avar people, nor whether they were connected to the Turkic or Mongolian elite. With no known written language, the culture’s history has been tricky to trace.

Roughly 80 potential graves remain unexplored at the site, and from them, experts hope to gain more insight into Avar history. Maybe they’ll find another saber along the way.

Tim Newcomb is a journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. He covers stadiums, sneakers, gear, infrastructure, and more for a variety of publications, including Popular Mechanics. His favorite interviews have included sit-downs with Roger Federer in Switzerland, Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles, and Tinker Hatfield in Portland.