ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR VRATSA (Nartsis Torbov – natorbov@abv.bg, Alexandra Petrova) Wall 1 was explored. Its foundation was discovered, built of roughly-cut stones bonded with mortar and 1 m wide. The wall protected the structures built to the south of it from landslides and falling rocks. Judging from a copper coin of the Bulgarian King Ivan Alexander, the wall was built at the end of the 14th century. A place for stirring mortar was discovered to the south of Wall 1 and beneath its foundation.