EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF PANAIOT VOLOVO (Alexei Gotsev – alexaim@abv.bg) Small tumuli, ditches, pits and debris from two buildings of the second half of the Late Bronze Age (13th – 12th centuries BC) were explored. Tumulus No. 1 was constructed of stones and was 9.20 m by 6.50 m in size and 40 cm in height. Fourteen ritual pits, 20 – 50 cm in depth, were explored to the north of it. There were piles of animal bones over some of the pits. Tumulus No. 2 was constructed of stones and was 2.40 m by 1.70 m in size. A ceramic vessel was deposited close to the west of it. Ditch No. 1 was 1.20 m wide and up to 30 cm deep, containing small pieces of charcoal, fragmentary wattle-and-daub, animal bones, flint artifacts and sherds. Ditch No. 2 was 17.50 m long and 1.50 m wide. There were pits, 1.60 m in diameter, located at its both ends. Remains from Building No. 1, 8 m by 11 m in size, were explored to the west of the ditch. Burned debris from Building No. 2 with two ovens inside were discovered and sherds, animal bones and fragmentary wattle-and-daub were found. Pits were explored, containing burned debris, fragments from a portable terracotta hearth and animal skulls. The Late Bronze Age finds include a significant number of flint artifacts. Four sunken-floored houses of the 8th – 10th centuries were discovered, each one accommodating one or two ovens. Animal bones, iron slag and sherds were found in the houses. Four pits 1 – 1.65 m in diameter and up to 1.50 m in depth were explored, containing sherds, animal bones, flint artifacts and an iron needle. Four other sunken-floored houses of the First Bulgarian Kingdom (8th – 10th centuries) were explored, 3 m by 4 m or 3 m by 5 m in size, located at 10 – 15 m from each other and accommodating one or two ovens. The finds included sherds, four bone awls, three terracotta counters and an iron knife. Two ovens of the 15th – 17th centuries were discovered and sherds and a bronze finger-ring were found close to them. Thracian sherds of the 5th – 1st centuries BC were found on site as well.