ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF VESELINOVO (Todor Valchev – tvvulchev@gmail.com, Iliya Iliev, Stefan Bakardzhiev) The first archaeological explorations of the settlement mound were carried out in 1927 and 1935. In 2014, a Sondage was carried out in the northwestern part of the settlement mound. A structure was discovered and two bone awls, two terracotta loom weights, a terracotta spindle whorl, a flint flake and a small ceramic vessel of the Late Neolithic period were found. A building of the Early Bronze Age III was discovered, partly dug into a Neolithic stratum. The building measured 4 m by 3.20 m and its northwestern wall was apse-like. Burned debris was discovered in the building and sherds were found. An oven was also discovered and sherds of three vessels of the Early Bronze Age III were incorporated into its bottom. In addition, a marble pendant and a terracotta model of a wheel of the Early Bronze Age were found during the excavations. Three pits and an oven of the 12th – 13th centuries were explored and sherds were found.

MALEVA MOGILA SETTLEMENT MOUND (Todor Valchev – tvvulchev@gmail.com, Iliya Iliev) The explorations continued in Trench G5 situated in the northwestern part of the settlement mound at 2 m to the west of the sondage carried out in 1935. A stratum 16 – 20 cm thick was discovered, containing sherds of the 11th – 12th centuries. Another stratum 80 cm thick was situated beneath, containing sherds from jugs, dishes and urns of the Early Bronze Age 3. A plough produced from antler was also found. A pit of the Early Iron Age was discovered, containing Thracian sherds. Two pits were explored, containing sherds of the 11th – 12th centuries.