EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF GOLITSA (Ventsislav Dinchev – vdintchev@abv.bg, Hristo Kuzov) A pentagonal tower-gate was discovered in sector A1. It is known as ‘The Western Gate of Haemus’ in the historical sources. The tower-gate measures 17.50 m by 13.50 m. Its walls are 3.15 m in thickness. The inner entrance is constructed along the longitudinal axis of the tower-gate. The outer entrance is on the northern front side. The entrances are 3 – 3.70 m in width and had two-wing gates. There are pavements with slabs at the entrances. The staircases to the upper floors of the tower-gate are situated from the both sides of the inner entrance. The northern staircase is 1.60 m wide. The fortress was built in the beginning of the 5th century AD. Coins minted in AD 383 – 395 serve as terminus post quem. The building, which was registered in 2005, was explored in sector A5. The foundations of two pillars, measuring 1.15 m by 70 cm and 95 cm by 60 cm, were discovered. A coin of the second half of the 5th century AD serves as terminus post quem for the construction of the building. The finds include coins, the latest ones dated to the first half of the 6th century AD, iron slag and a piece of iron mill-bar. A forge existed there. The double tower of the fortification wall to the south of the central fortress was explored in sector B. The tower is hexagonal and measures 22.20 m by 9.20 m. The walls are 1.60 m in thickness and are constructed in opus mixtum. A pillar with spiral staircase to the second floor of the tower was explored. The second floor was at c. 3.40 m in height. The entrance of the tower is in the inner section of its northern wall and is 1.05 – 1.30 m wide. The tower had a roof covered with tegulae and imbrices. The fortification wall is 3.15 m in thickness. A coin minted in AD 378 – 383 was found in the emplectum of the wall. Two Christian graves of the 10th – 12th centuries were discovered to the west of the central fortress.