ARCHAEOLOGICAL SONDAGES NEAR THE TOWN OF KOSTINBROD (Ventsislav Dinchev – vdintchev@abv.bg) Explorations were conducted in the Gradishteto locality, to the northwest of the late Roman residence Scretisca. Various structures of different dates were discovered. A structure with an elliptical layout and dimensions of c. 4.50 by 3.30 m was found. It was built of dry stone masonry. Its stratigraphic position shows a late date: 17th – 19th century. The function of the structure is not clear; presumably, it was the foundation of an iron furnace. Some badly preserved remains of seasonal buildings or stone walls and a small grave constructed of re-used Roman terracotta building materials have the same date. A newborn baby was buried in the grave, with its head oriented to the west. Badly preserved remains of a rectangular building of small dimensions were discovered. Its walls were ramshackle and without any foundations. However, the roofing was covered with tegulae and imbrices. Late Roman pottery and coins of the mid 4th century AD were found in the tiny occupation layer of the building. Most likely, this was the house of some worker who served in the nearby residence. Soon after the house was abandoned, another similar building was built close to it. Only a fireplace constructed of clay-plastered bricks and stones is partly preserved from the second house. A pit was discovered near the remains of the buildings, and it also dates to the Late Antiquity: 4th – 5th century. Presumably, the pit was initially excavated for clay extraction and later it was used for a garbage-pit. The explorations testify that the area close to the north and northwest of Scretisca residence was a place for arranging service and farming complexes during the period of its existence.

SCRETISCA (Ventsislav Dinchev – vdintchev@abv.bg) Part of the pavement of the ancient road Singidunum – Naissus – Serdica – Philippopolis – Constantinopolis was explored at the Roman mansio Scretisca. The road is discovered at 5.50 m in length. It was c. 6.80 m wide. The pavement was built of uneven stones and slabs. The discovered part of the road is situated at c. 12.50 m to the east of the northeastern corner of taberna, which was explored in Scretisca during the 1980s and 1990s. The explored part of the road is situated at c. 15 m to the southeast from another part of the road, which was preserved and visible on the terrain until the mid 1990s. Debris from a ramshackle building was discovered to the northwest of the explored part of the road. Sherds of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD, an arrowhead, a hobnail and a clamp were found.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN SCRETISCA (Ventsislav Dinchev – vdintchev@abv.bg) A sondage in the central part of the yard of the Late Roman residence Scretisca, which coincided with the central sector of Early Byzantine Kratiskara, was carried out. The northern wall of a building of the 6th century AD, built of stones and fragmentary bricks bonded with mud, was discovered. An earlier wall of the Late Roman period was documented. It was 50 – 52 cm wide and was built of stones bonded with mortar. A layer of mortar was reached at c. 1.70 m depth. A drain, 60 cm deep and 60 – 70 cm wide, was discovered within the mortar. Sherds, mostly from pots and lids, were found during the excavations. Fragments of red-gloss pottery were found inside the drain.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR SCRETISCA (Ventsislav Dinchev – vdintchev@abv.bg) An area situated to the north of the Roman mansio Scretisca was explored. A sector of the pavement of the Roman road Naissus – Serdica, 17.60 m long, was discovered. The road was oriented northwest – southeast and was 5.25 m wide. The pavement was built of uneven stones driven into the earth. The joints between the stones were trampled with smaller stones or river pebbles. The northeastern curbstone of the road was partly preserved. A ditch, 15 – 20 cm deep, was shaped along the inner side of the curbstone. Eight copper coins (one minted in Nicaea by Severus Alexander and the rest of the 4th century AD), a bronze ring, iron nails and clamps, and sherds of the 3rd – 4th centuries AD were found on the road.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR SCRETISCA (Zharin Velichkov – director@sofiahistorymuseum.bg) Geophysical surveys were carried out near the Roman road Via Diagonalis and Mutatio Scretisca. Archaeological structures were not identified. A sector of Via Diagonalis was explored, preserved to the south of Mutatio Scretisca. Fragmentary roof-tiles and Late Antique sherds were found. The road was dismantled and restored in another place. Walls of a Late Antique building were discovered, 60 cm wide, built of roughly-cut stones bonded with mortar.