ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF VALCHE POLE (Hristo Popov – popovhristo@yahoo.co.uk, Stanislav Iliev) The explorations were carried out in the fortified area of the site. A pile of five fragmentary ceramic vessels of the Late Bronze Age (1600 – 1050 BC) was discovered in Sector I. A three-edge bone arrowhead was also found. Carbonized remains of gruel, consisting mainly of millet, barley and linseed, were preserved in one of the vessels. A rectangular house, measuring 10.50 m by 5.50 m, was entirely discovered in Sector I. The foundation of its walls was constructed of stones. Presumably, the walls were in a light construction built above a plinth of stones. After removing part of the trampled soil in trench E3, it was found that house No. 1 was constructed on an earlier building that also existed during the Late Bronze Age. The exploration of the building dated to the second phase of the Early Iron Age (8th – 6th centuries BC) continued in Sector II. The finds include ceramic vessels and three stamps for pottery decoration. Remains of stone structures that belonged to an earlier occupation period were discovered below the floor. A building of the end of the 2nd – first half of the 3rd centuries AD, well dated by coins, was explored in Sector II. At least five fragmentary dolia and parts of millstones were found. They show that most likely the building was used for farming activities. The discovery of similar finds on the terrain surface situated to the east of Sector I allow us to suggest that a small village existed on the site during the 2nd – 3rd centuries AD.