SOFIA, July 24: Bulgarian archeologists said on Sunday they had discovered the tomb of a Thracian king from the fourth century BC filled with treasure including a golden crown, body armour and gold, silver and bronze cups.

“The team has just dug out the golden ring of this Thracian king, who was also laid to rest together with his dog and two horses,” said National Historical Museum director Bozhidar Dimitrov.

An archeological team led by Daniela Agre also found a golden crown, silver knee-pieces, bits of body armour, and a number of gold, silver and bronze cups, at the site near the southeastern village of Zlatinitsa.

It was believed to be the richest Thracian tomb to be discovered in the past century, the museum director said.

“The tomb is quite unlike the usual rectangular or beehive mausoleums of the Thracians. It is simply a vast wood-panelled pit, resembling those of the Scythians from southern Russia and Ukraine,” he said.

Modern Bulgaria is regarded as the geographical cradle of the Thracian civilization, which extended from the Caucasus to south-western Europe from the fourth millennium BC to the third century AC.

Several thousand burial mounds are scattered around the country and excavations are constantly shedding new light on the Thracians but archeologists say that tombs are frequently looted before they get there.—AFP