ST. SOPHIA BASILICA (Yunian Meshekov – meshekov@abv.bg) The area around the Early Christian Tomb of Honorius, dated to the 5th – beginning of the 6th century AD and excavated in 1989 and 2002, was explored. The tomb was barrel-vaulted and built of bricks, 1.95 m by 2.52 m in size and 1.71 m in height. The entrance was on its eastern side. A Christian burial of an adult was discovered inside the tomb. There were fresco paintings on the inner walls of the tomb, showing crosses and flowers and the following inscriptions: † HONORIUS SERVUS ΧΡ(ΙΣΤ)Ι (eastern wall), DEUS (southern wall), DOMINUS (western wall), S(an)C(tus) (northern wall). In 2011, five nummi of Justin I minted in Constantinopol was found in the tomb. A barrel-vaulted Tomb No. 1/11 with an entrance from the west was documented to the west of the Tomb of Honorius. Partly preserved Grave No. 1/11, probably of the 6th century AD, was discovered, oriented east – west, constructed of bricks, covered with slabs, with a floor paved with bricks. Grave No. 2/11 of the second half of the 3rd century AD, was discovered, oriented east – west, constructed of bricks, covered with reused slabs, with a floor paved with bricks. The grave was a cenotaph, containing a glass unguentarium, a bronze coin of Tiberius Britannicus and iron nails from a wooden coffin. Cist Grave No. 1/11 with two burial chambers, probably of the 5th century AD, was discovered. The southern chamber was covered with slabs. A partly preserved polychrome mosaic was documented on the floor of the chamber. The grave was looted in the past.