ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF SEDEFCHE (Hristo Popov – popovhristo@yahoo.co.uk, Plamen Georgiev) During the 1990s and in 2009 and 2011 remains from ancient gold and silver mines were documented. In 2014 a furnace was explored. It was built of cut and uneven stones, trapezoidal bricks and roof-tiles bonded with mud. The furnace measured 2.50 m by 1.50 m. There were six small columns built of bricks on each long side of it. Remains from ramshackle shelters, hearths and midden pits were discovered close to the furnace. The geophysical survey indicated that it belonged to a production complex consisting of several furnaces and adjacent buildings. The furnace dated to the 4th – 5th century AD.