ST. MARY SPELEOTISSA MONASTERY IN MELNIK (Violeta Nesheva – violeta_nesheva@mail.bg) The main archaeological explorations of the monastery were completed in 1981. Two sondages from the both sides of the path paved with cobble were carried out at the entrance between the antechamber and the main monastery building. There were no remains preceding the beginning of the 13th century when Despot Alexii Slav built the monastery. The path was built during the second construction period at the end of the 16th – beginning of the 17th century over the remains of a stone staircase that existed initially. The finds include part of an iron hinge for a door, a nail and sherds of the 16th – 17th centuries.