PRODUCTION CENTER NEAR THE VILLAGE OF NOVOSEL (Stoicho Bonev, Stela Doncheva – donchevastela@yahoo.com) Explorations of a center for producing metal ornaments began in 2004. Seven trenches were excavated in 2005. A cultural stratum of the First Bulgarian Kingdom was discovered at 60 – 70 cm in depth and fragmentary Thracian pottery of the 6th – 5th centuries BC was found below 80 cm in depth. Fragments of melting-pots were found in trench No. 14, at 50 cm in depth. Several hearths were discovered and burnt bones, charcoals and fragmentary lath-and-plaster were found. The boundaries of an earthen construction were outlined. A workshop that measures 4.30 m by 3.80 m was excavated at 1.50 – 1.60 m in depth. The foundation of the oven measures 70 cm by 80 cm and its diameter is 60 cm. A construction consisting of a hearth and an area confined by stones was discovered in trench No. 19, at 70 – 80 cm in depth. The workshop measures 4 m by 4.30 m and had at least three stages of functioning. An oven, 60 – 70 cm in diameter, was discovered at 1.50 m in depth. A production pit, containing a melting-pot, an iron knife, bronze appliques, slag and two bone awls was excavated in front of the oven. During the excavations in 2005, 117 objects were found and thus, their total number increased up to 263. The first group includes appliques, belt points, small seal-amulets with depicted animals, earrings, finger rings, book nasps and crosses. The second group includes lead and bronze production models, bronze and silver ingots, and lead scrap. Eleven Byzantine coins minted by Romanos I Lekapenos and by Romanos II and Constantine VII were found. Decorated pottery of the 9th – 10th centuries was found, too. The production center functioned during 930s – 940s and produced ornaments for the Bulgarian capital Preslav.