ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS IN PLISKA (Pavel Georgiev – pavel_g@gbg.bg, Radoslav Vasilev) The explorations in the Small Timber Fortification, located in the northwestern sector of the Inner Town, continued. Trenches from fences, which adjoined the northeastern corner of the fortification, were explored in Trench 12. The northern line of the fortification, which consisted of three parallel trenches with a total width of c. 4.50 m, was explored in Trench 13. Foundations of stones were documented. Walls of mud bricks were constructed over the foundations. There was a bed for a wooden palisade, up to 25 cm wide, at the inner part of the main trench. The southeastern corner of the fortification was documented in Trench 14. Nine structures from the second half of the 8th to the middle of the 11th centuries were discovered. A trench parallel to the fortification, containing pottery of the 8th – 9th centuries AD, was documented to the south. The fortification had a trapezoidal layout and an area of c. 1.9 ha. During the first phase of its existence it was a separate fortification. During the second phase it coexisted with the newly constructed Large Timber Fortification, which surrounded the residence of the end of the 8th – beginning of the 9th century AD. The remains of the timber fortifications lie under layers containing materials and structures of the 9th – 11th centuries (buildings, semi-dug sunken-floored houses, midden pits). Two Christian burials of a child and a young individual were discovered in Trench 14. Glass beads of a necklace were found in the child burial. Remains of a forge and iron slag were discovered in Trench 13. A mould for glass production was found in Trench 14. The finds of the layer dated to the 10th – 11th centuries include sherds, animal bones, bronze and copper crosses, belt appliqués, finger-rings, earrings, buttons, pendants, book clasps, glass bracelets, an amulet, an iron chisel, a silver appliqué showing an openwork bird and Byzantine coins.