SONDAGE EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF ORYAHOVETS (Borislav Borislavov – b_borislavov@hotmail.com) A number of Late Bronze Age (1600/1500 – 1050 BC) pottery, alongside with sherds of the Late Iron Age (5th – 1st centuries BC) and the Late Antiquity, were found during field surveys. Twelve sondages were carried out to clarify the situation. The location of the sondages was according to the spots with concentrations of pottery. The total excavated area was 145 sq. m. A stratum with significant number of sherds was discovered in sondage No. 1, located at the place with the highest concentration of pottery. A wall of sunken-floored house, which was constructed of broken stones, was explored in trenches A1, B1 and B2. The house measures 6.70 m in length and 4 m in width. Its entrance was from the southeast. A significant number of sherds were found inside the house. Fragments of terracotta borders of two hearths were discovered. The pottery dates to the Late Bronze Age and is richly decorated with incised ornaments incrusted with white paste. A terracotta spool, a spindle whorl, stone tools, a small flint plate and a terracotta lid with a handle were found inside the house. The sunken-floored structure could be interpreted as a temporary (seasonal) house with light construction. According to parallels in the pottery, the house most likely was synchronous to phase KIV (stratum 14a) of Kastanas, which dates to the 14th – 13th centuries BC. A treasure of 9 bronze coins of Maroneia (Dionysos Soter type), dated to the 2nd – 1st centuries BC, was found in sondage No. 7.