Bulgarian treasure-hunters discovered an ancient bronze cauldron, used for ritual funerals more than thirty centuries ago, on Saturday.

The cauldron was found near the Utroba cave, close to Kurdzhali, Southern Bulgaria. It contained burned human bones and was placed in a stone shaft, covered with a slab.

Archeologists suppose that the treasure-hunters were digging for gold and found the relic by mistake. Upon seeing that it did not contain anything of value, they abandoned it, and it was found by some Kurdzhali citizens. German Angelov, an archeologist from the Perperikon expedition saw it and bought it from the finders.

Specialists date the cauldron between 11th and 8th century B.C. and think that it had been used as a funeral urn. An ancient village is believed to have been situated near the Utroba cave where this relic was found.

Last year ancient coins, bronze statuettes and ceramics with early scriptures were discovered in the same area.

Kurdzhali's Historical Museum received the cauldron on Saturday.