ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS NEAR THE VILLAGE OF STROINO (Stefan Bakardzhiev – st_bakarjiev@abv.bg) A hoard of 29 Roman silver coins of the first half of the 3rd century AD, a marble Roman-Doric capital of the second half of the 1st century AD, a fragment of a bronze military diploma belonging to a veteran of the Misenian fleet of the 2nd – beginning of the 3rd century AD, etc. originate from the settlement. The archaeological materials are spread on an area of 1.5 – 1.6 ha. The archaeological excavations in 2006 were carried out because of clandestine activities. More than 60 clandestine digs were registered on the site. Walls, bricks, tiles, millstones, architectural details and sherds of red-gloss pottery, plain-ware, amphorae and dolia, predominantly dated to the 3rd – 4th centuries AD, were visible in the clandestine digs. Sondage 1 measured 10 m by 1.20 m. The occupation strata were up to 1 m in thickness. Four strata were identified. Fragmentary tegulae and a lot of pottery were found between the second and the third stratum. A bronze decoration of a lock of a toilet box is of interest among the finds. Sondage 2 measured 3 m by 2.50 m. The sondage was partly situated over a clandestine dig with a wall constructed of uneven stones bonded with mud. The occupation strata were up to 1 m in thickness and the walls were north – south oriented. Three strata were identified. Two T-like crossing walls constructed of uneven stones bonded with mud were discovered. The finds include pottery predominantly dated to the 3rd century AD, a handle of an amphora of Dresel 43 type dated to the 1st century AD, etc. The site could be identified as a vicus that existed from the 1st to 4th centuries AD.