EARLY CHRISTIAN TOMB IN SERDICA (Mario Ivanov – slotarm@yahoo.com) A big family tomb was explored in the central part of the Eastern necropolis of Serdica. The monument is oriented east – west and is situated in front of the western facade of St. Sophia Basilica dated to the second half of the 5th century AD. The tomb consists of a burial chamber and stairs with five steps, partly destroyed by the foundations of the basilica. The chamber is barrel-vaulted with a rectangular layout; its outer size is 6 m by 5.20 m. The tomb was built of bricks bonded with white lime. Two supporting walls of stones bonded with lime support from the outside the longer brick walls of the tomb. The outer surface of the chamber was covered with thin plaster of white lime whose function was to protect the monument from the weather. The stairs were covered by a reused altar enclosure with stylized floral decoration. The entrance was closed by a stone slab decorated with a cross in relief. The inner dimensions of the burial chamber are 4.46 m by 3.40 m by 2.10 m. Its entire inner wall was covered with plaster of white lime. Three inhumation burials were found within the chamber. A child who was buried dressed in a garment interwoven with gold was discovered in the northeastern corner. A lower part of a kitchen vessel used as an incense-burner was found close to the child’s skull. Another child and an adult whose sex could not be determined were buried in the southwestern corner of the chamber. A gold earring was found close to their skulls. The analysis of the numismatic material (more than 60 coins) and the stratigraphy show that the tomb dates to the first quarter of the 5th century AD.