EXPLORATIONS OF ST. SPAS CHAPEL IN PERNIK (Vasilka Paunova – vasder@gmail.com) The ruins of the chapel lie up to c. 1.50 m in depth within an earthen embankment. The chapel was built in 1905 on a consecrated ground of Saint Spas. The building is oriented northeast – southwest and measures 5 m by 3 m with walls that are 40 cm in width. There is a niche in the eastern wall of the chapel, instead of an apse. The walls are preserved to 1.60 m in height and were built of broken stones and ashlars with re-used ancient bricks. The chapel lies on an earlier wall oriented north – south. The wall flanked an entrance of ancient building, which was bigger in size than the chapel. This was built of bricks bonded with mortar and is preserved up to eight courses in height. The foundation of the wall was constructed of limestone ashlars. The ancient wall is preserved up to 1.20 – 1.30 m in height. The width of the entrance was c. 1.20 m. Part of another ancient wall located outside from the southern wall of the chapel was explored. It is oriented east – west and most likely meets the wall with the entrance at right angle. A flooring level of mortar, 10 cm in thickness, which belonged to the ancient building, was discovered inside the chapel and at the level of the foundation of the brick wall. The floor was covered with layer of charcoal, ash, fragmentary mortar plasters and tiles. The uncovered destruction indicates that the building was demolished as a result of conflagration. The building technique makes possible to conclude that the ancient building was constructed most likely towards the end of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD.