EXPLORATIONS OF THE THRACIAN SANCTUARY ‘SEMERCHETO’ NEAR THE VILLAGE OF DOSITEEVO (Borislav Borislavov – b_borislavov@hotmail.com) A natural rock niche with trapezoid form was explored. It was barred by a stone block, which fell and covered a layer of the Late Bronze Age (1600/1500 – 1050 BC). The material found on the block also belongs to the Late Bronze Age, which may show that a presumable earthquake caused destruction in the cult site during that period. Three ceramic vessels and sherds of at least two other vessels were found inside the niche. A small kantharos discovered in 2004 also belongs to this group. The pottery was placed in a clay core within the niche and then the interior of the niche was burnt. The vessels date to the Late Bronze Age and are decorated with solar motifs. A fragment of a zoomorphic terracotta figurine and a spindle whorl were found nearby. Several levels of a ritual platform of the Late Bronze Age and the transition to the Early Iron Age were explored in Sector 3, during the previous archaeological seasons. In 2005, three Late Bronze Age levels and three ritual hearths were discovered. Sherds, animal bones (predominantly of deer), bone tools and a bronze bead were found. A surrounding wall of stones, which marked the boundaries of the sanctuary, was discovered in the foot of the slope. The excavated part of the wall is 9 m in length, 1 m in width and 50 cm in height. The finds and the pottery allow us to date the wall to the Hellenistic period. A ceramic vessel dug into the ground level was found from the inner side of the wall. Piles of animal bones and fragments of Thracian pottery were discovered. Four ritual pits of the Early Iron Age (11th – 6th centuries BC) were explored on the slope. Animal bones and sherds were found within the pits, while three of them contained pieces of tortoise carapaces.