An archaeological expedition, led by prominent Bulgarian archaeologist Georgi Kitov, discovered various gold and silver artifacts in a Thracian funeral mound near the town of Sliven.

The expedition found several burial sites under the hill, dating back to the second and third century, Focus news agency reported.

Iordanka Radancheva, a member of the expedition, said that most of the bodies were unusually laid out, with the head pointing east, instead of west.

The archaeologists found five gold earrings, a silver ring, ceramic lamp and other pottery and two rings. One of the rings is encrusted with a semi precious stone with an engraved figure of an animal, probably a lion.

Each burial place had a coin, to enable the corpse to pay to enter the world of the dead.