MARKELI FORTRESS (Dimcho Momchilov – karnobat.muzey@mail.bg, Rositsa Hristova) The explorations of the eastern fortification wall continued between towers Nos. 17 and 18. A circular kiln of bricks, situated in rectangular room, was documented. A second room, probably a workshop or a shop, was documented. The room was built of cut and uneven stones, bricks and pieces of mortar with a bonding medium of mud. Occupation layers, up to 1.10 in depth, were explored. A hoard of 37 Byzantine gold coins (31 of Nikephoros III Botaneiates, 4 of Alexios I Komnenos and 2 of John II Komnenos) was discovered. The finds include a golden finger-ring, five gilded rings, a belt buckle, earrings, iron tools, iron hinges, nails, an arrowhead and pottery. The eastern fortification wall, between tower No. 17 and the southern fortification wall, was discovered. The section was 22 m long. The fortification wall is up to 3.50 m in width. The explorations of the western fortification wall and the houses situated around it continued. Part of the wall was built in opus mixtum. The occupation layers were more than 50 cm in thickness. The finds include a Neolithic stone axe, pottery (Roman, proto-Bulgarian of the 9th – 10th centuries and mediaeval after the 11th century), terracotta spindle whorls, bone tools, iron knives, glass bracelets and animal bones. Occupation layers with materials from the 5th – 13th centuries were explored at the eastern side of the church. The finds include pottery, bracelets, fragmentary glass, iron and bone tools, animal bones, terracotta spindle whorls and a bronze appliqué.