During January, February and March 2005, rescue excavations were carried out at the site of Stari grad near Pag. In 2005, excavation was carried out in trenches 3, 13, 14 and 15, near the city walls, east of the ruined Franciscan monastery, and inside of the city at the location of Buljetina njiva, where two trenches were excavated.
Trench 3 is located along the north-eastern edge of the city citadel, i.e. between the city walls and the Franciscan monastery built in 1589. That trench was excavated also during the previous years, as it was expanded several times. On this occasion, two graves were excavated. There were no finds in grave no. 2, but in the vaulted grave no. 5 (all the deceased were dislocated) there were found: 3 bronze threads, 10 larger and smaller rings, 3 iron appliqués, fragments of amorphous iron and nails.
Trench 14 (4.2 × 3.4 m) was opened to the east of the monastery. 35 graves were discovered and excavated. The deceased were buried individually in three layers in earthen pits or wooden coffins. Body deformations were observed in three burials, among which grave no. 7 contained a deformed arm and leg. In grave no. 33, two three-bead earrings were found in situ, while in grave no. 4, two Venetian coins were found next to the left leg. Among the dispersed finds inside the trench are fragments of glass and pottery, 5 Venetian coins, bronze bullets, and 5 bronze threads. The graves are tentatively dated to the 14th and 15th centuries.
Two trenches (1 and 2) were excavated at the Buljetina njiva site. Trench 1 (2.3 × 4 m) is located 20 m north of the road to the Old Town. The maximum depth was 1 m. One Venetian coin, 3 bronze appliqués, and fragments of coarse pottery were found. Trench 2 (4 × 2 m, depth 40 cm) is located closer to the seacoast (Radomir Jurić 2006, Hrvatski arheološki godišnjak 2/2005, 312–313).