BASILIKOS (Milen Nikolov – m_kotlenski@abv.bg) The earliest historical information about Basilikos was given by Al-Idrisi in 1152. According to a Genovese document of 1352, a Genovese galley purchased grain from Mesemvria, Sozopolis and Basilikos. During the first half of the 15th century the settlement was included in the privileged region of Hasekia, while there were Ottoman documents about the port of Basilikos of the end the century. The area around St. Mary’s Dormition Church at the old harbor was explored. An earlier church existed on the place of the present-day one, probably during the 13th – 16th centuries. According to some sources, the Mediaeval monastery St. Trinity was located in the area. Late Antique and Mediaeval sherds, coins of the 11th century, finger-rings and a fragment from a triptych have been found by chance around the church. Two strata were explored to the south of the church: the upper one was 1 m thick and contained material of the 5th – 6th and the 10th – 14th centuries, while the lower one was 1.30 m thick and contained finds of the 5th – 4th centuries BC. A stratum, 2.20 m thick and dated from the 16th century to 1882, was explored in front of the western wall of the church. Sherds of the 5th – 4th centuries BC, the 5th – 6th centuries AD and the 11th – 14th centuries were found to the north of he church. Twenty Christian graves of the 19th – 20th centuries and one of the 17th century were discovered. Walls in rubble masonry of the 13th – 14th century were documented. Cylindrical and beehive ritual pits, 0.30 – 1.10 m deep, were explored, containing Greek and Thracian sherds of the end of the 6th – 4th centuries BC, including from amphorae from Knidos, Akanthos, Rhodes and Mende, black-gloss pottery and red-figure pottery, a copper fibula, a quern and small pieces of charcoal. A building constructed at the end of the 16th century, 13 m by 6 m in size, was explored to the east of the church. It was related to maintaining the port and had military, guard and administrative functions. A spur, an arrowhead and a custom lead seal of the 18th century were found. Traces from an earlier building were documented as well and sherds of the 5th – 6th centuries AD were found.