ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF KRASEN (Alexander Minchev – aleksander.minchev@gmail.com, Yoto Yotov) The site is situated on a rock ridge. Sixteen rock-cut niches were documented, measuring from 30 cm by 25 cm to 50 cm by 25 cm and oriented to the south. Some of the niches were located in groups, while the others were single. The niches in the rock sanctuary maybe were used to accommodate votive reliefs. There was a stone quarry to the east and to the west of the niches. Beds of ashlars and segments of columns that were taken away were documented cut into the rock. The ashlars that were produced measured from 30 cm by 40 cm by 40 cm to 90 cm by 40 cm by 60 cm. The rock sanctuary and the stone quarry probably dated to the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD. There was a settlement from that period situated nearby. Proto-Bulgarian sherds of the 9th – 10th centuries were found on the site as well.