In the modern city of Durrёs (ancient Dyrrhacium), close by the ex-cultural building centre was carried out an archaeological excavation. The excavation revealed a section of the ancient and medieval surrounding city wall. The wall is 25.20 m long, 6.90m height and 2.20m wide; it has a tower and two entrances. This section of the wall has 5 construction phases.
The Hellenistic Period is presented by two construction phases. It was firstly built as a wall with quadrangle blocks. In a second phase it was superposed by a wall line made of bricks and earth mortar. The stratiographical sequence of the materials found during the excavations (black varnished cups and bowls) dates to the 2nd century B.C.
The Roman period is represented by the superposition of another wall course line built up with tiles and mortar (Opus Latericum). This reconstruction might have taken place by the end of the 1st century A.D., and have survived until the earthquake of year 346 A.D. In the earliest layers were founded different types of amphorae like; Dressel 6 and 2-4 types; production of Campania and Tarrakona, Italain terra sigillata vessels, eastern sigillata B and Pompeian cooking vessels, which mainly date between the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. In the later stratigraphical layers were founded a group of Italian amphorae of Forlimpopolit type, African and Aegean and also locally produced cooking vessels which date to the 2nd to 4th centuries A.D.
The massive wall, constructed with bricks and mortar dates to the Byzantine Period. To this period also belong a group of amphorae of Mediterranean type like: North African, eastern Mediterranean and Italian types. These objects have always been part of the Mediterranean network trade. There were also founded red North African vessels (of D Hayes type) and imports from Asia Minor.
The early and middle medieval layers were rich in archaeological materials. In the early medieval layer (7th – 9th century A.D.) were founded ceramic wares like cups, flagons and ojnohe. Some of these vessels are decorated with linear and geometrical motives. It is suggested that these products have circulated in the markets around the ancient Dyrrhachium. In the second layer were noticed amphorae from Apulia like: Otranto 1, Otranto 2 and globular amphorae, which dates to the 10th, 12th and 13th centuries A.D. These objects are also founded in other excavated areas of the modern city of Durrёs. Frequent finds from this layer are the 13th century protomajolica vessel ceramics, decorated with zoo- morphological figures such as birds, fishes, eagles etc. These glazed vessel types are common finds from medieval city of Dyrrhachium.
The Venetian period (14th – 15th centuries), is represented by a wall section of quadrangle blocks built above the Byzantine walls.
The Ottoman period (second half of the 19th century), relates to the construction of an administrative residential structure, that has destroyed part of the Byzantine wall.
The new archaeological discoveries at the basement level of south-eastern wall bastion established new construction phases for the castle’s walls of ancient Dyrrhachium.
During the excavation at the depth levels of 1.30 – 3m were discovered 40 medieval graves. From them 38 had tile coverage in the shape of double leaned roof and only two were of urns amphorae. The major parts of the graves had no inventory objects. Only in the grave number 6, 32, 33 and 37 were founded eroded bronze jewellery objects like rings, crosses and earrings. This later evidence suggests that by the end of the 6th century to the end of the 9th century the area around the south – eastern bastion has been used as a cemetery.