The archaeological excavation of the year 2002 aimed to reveal the southern section of the portico and the shops (D and E), extended on the south-western side of Macellium of the ancient city of Dyrrhachium.
In the southern section of the portico, above the retaining wall of the colonnade, were found some stone slabs, used as foundations for the rectangular shape (c. 1.1 × 0.8 × 0.17m) together with the column basements platform. From the portico platform were revealed a relatively small number of Proconesian marble slabs.
The shops were preserved above the foundation level and only in particular courses had lines of bricks from the retaining walls. The shops are of irregular shape and have no relations with one another.
The foundations are 0.9 – 1m thick and are covered up with plaster on the inner side, a detail that indicates their utilization. Such a function is also seen in the stone staircase, used for stepping down to the store room (area D). The retaining walls are preserved to 0. 4 – 1.1m high and are constructed of stones with 1-3 line courses of bricks, measuring to 0.29 × 0.32 × 0.05 m. The bricks are stamped with Christian symbols and monograms.
All of the market structures have two entrances on each one side; one on the outer side of the wall, (used for exiting) and the other on the inner side (used for communicating with the yard). The inner (1. 30 – 1.50 m wide) and the outer (1.40 – 1.50 wide) doors dimensions proves to have had one shutter placed within the wall.
The floors of the shops were of two types: a) beaten earth floor; b) paved with tiles (measuring c. 0.36 × 0.28 × 0.05 m), placed above a lime mortar foundation.
The ground floor of the area D is paved with two layers of timbers: one layer (the lower) is made of thick timbers and the other (the upper) with smaller ones.
The inner doors of shop E, seems to have been blocked in a second phase of construction. Inside the shop area were revealed a pile of tiles which belong to the fallen roof. The way it has fallen gives the impression that the roof has had double inclination shape. In area A, above the fallen roof were found fragments of amphorae of Otranto I and Otranto II and glazed byzantine vessels (bowls, plates etc).
The excavations revealed 5 stratigraphical units that gave a very rich archaeological material, where amphorae dominate. Among them the LRA 1, LRA 2, and LRA 4 types are the most useable transporting objects in the ancient Dyrrhachion during the 4th – 6th – 7th centuries A.D. The amphorae of Samos type and those of Keay 62 are also founded in the Macellum. Among the table vessels are found African Red Slip pottery and LRC of Phocean type.
The cooking wares are represented by a varied number of shapes and types. Some of them, which are typical for the Late Antique Period, come from Mediterranean manufacturing centres.
The glazed pottery is represented by protomaiolica vessels. The most favourite typical noticed is that a network.