ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR VRATSA (Nartsis Torbov – natorbov@abv.bg) The western fortification wall and tower No. 1 were explored. The wall was preserved up to 1.35 m in height. Judging from a bronze scyphate minted by Manuel I Komnenos, the fortification wall was probably constructed during the first half of the 12th century. The wall probably existed until the fall of the Bulgarian Kingdom of Vidin, conquered by the Ottomans in 1396. A silver denar, minted in Transylvania in 1390 – 1400, was found in square A1/2, under the debris of the fortification wall. The stratum of the settlement of the 4th century AD was documented in squares А1/2, А2/4 and А2/3. Fragmentary building ceramics and a bronze coin of Valens, minted in Thessalonica in AD 364 – 369, were found. Coins of Constantine I and Theodosius I had been found in the same stratum in 2007. Two Early Hellenistic Thracian bronze arrowheads were found in square A2/2. The outer face of the building used for barracks and the inner face of the eastern fortification wall preserved up to 1.20 m in height were explored. The fortification wall was built either in the 6th century AD, or in the 12th century. During the 13th century, the fortification wall was reconstructed and the building was constructed. The stratum of the 4th century AD was documented in square E7/2. Fortification tower No. 2 on the eastern fortification wall was discovered. The tower had a triangular layout and was built of roughly cut stones bonded with mortar.