The excavations of the year 2001 were concentrated also at the area of the necropolis, which is located to the southern part of the ancient city of Phoenike. Eight graves were excavated altogether dating to Hellenistic and Roman period. Various grave construction technologies. were noticed’ Some graves were laid directly to the rocky surface and covered with roof tiles; others were constructed with stone slabs and still further graves were of cappuccino style’ There were also graves with a wooden coffin and graves constructed entirely by bricks. There was also a sarcophagus made by slabs. The graves were oriented south – north and east – west. The burial rituals used in this cemetery were cremations and inhumation. The grave goods were rich, represented by pottery objects, like pixide, pelikes, balming, lamps, etc. Metal and glass objects were rare and coins were almost absent.

The excavations of the year 2002 in the southern necropolis of the ancient city of Phoenike brought to light very interesting data. This year the excavations were focused on three main areas. The first area to be excavated was S5, where a number of graves dating to Hellenistic and Roman period were discovered. The burial rituals were of cremation and inhumation. Gender has not yet been identified This year was noted the existence of other typologies of grave construction quite different from those discovered last year. Between them were distinguished mound shaped graves surrounded with stones, graves made by reused stele and massive graves. Graves with brick construction such as tomb number 13 were also discovered’. The tomb which took the number 27 bears distinctive characteristics. There was discovered the skeleton of an animal, which according to the authors of the excavations was a common ceremonial practise in the Hellenistic period. The second part of the sondage was mostly of an observatory character. The identified graves were positioned in the general plan of the necropolis. In the last excavated zone, S6, a structure paved with slabs was discovered, which seems to have been a funerary building of the Roman period. The grave goods were mostly represented by pottery objects like pelikeS, lamps, lekythoI and different type of amphorae. An increase in glasswork, coins and decorations on metal objects also increased.

During the year 2003 two interventions were undertaken in the necropolis of the city. The first one was located in the site S16, approximately 100 m away from the necropolis. There were discovered traces of a funerary monument constructed with limestone blocks and also of grave made by stone slabs. This evidence enlarges the size of the area of the necropolis about 700 m to the east-west and 300 m to the north-south. The interventions that were carried out in the autumn provided very interesting data about the necropolis. During this period were excavated about 20 graves of typologies that were already known from the first excavation seasons. The excavation was located mainly in the area of cemetery, named as area 24. It contained about 4 graves of different types. A large cemetery occupied the centre of this area. The graves were made by stone slabs, bricks and rarely by tiles. In the south-east was discovered another cemetery area which took the number 23. It contained only a grave. The rituals and grave orientations are the same. The types of grave goods discovered during this year are the same as in the other excavation seasons. There is noticed only an increase in the total number of discovered finds.

The excavations of this season in the southern necropolis brought in light important data concerning the chronology of the cemetery. New evidences about some monuments situated in this area was also discovered. The excavation ended in several parts of the ancient city. In the area S5 the excavations were concluded with the entire discovery of the building 38, whereas in the ustrinium area, the excavation showed that the monument ended its functionality in the 2nd century A. D. Nearby the ustrinium was discovered a grave constructed by stone slabs which was destroyed during the antiquity. The excavation proceeded with the discovery of a new site which took the number S18 and was located south to S5. In this area were discovered about three monumental structures of various shapes, which were badly preserved. About 200 m to the western part of S5 was excavated e new site which took the number S16. The finds discovered were distinctive from one another. During this season were also discovered the remains of a funerary monument which was totally destroyed as the result of clandestine excavations. To the north another grave was discovered which displayed similar characteristics with the others. Its excavation was difficult due to water table. The whole eastern part was occupied by a street which was preserved in the length of 12 m, and was orientated north-south. The survey of this area revealed a grave stele, bearing the inscription _NIKONOA PHILONAS_.

The excavations of this season were located at the area S18. It was excavated the monument number 6 and the area opposite to the entrance. The functionality of this area was difficult to be defined, thought it was considered the idea it might have been an altar. It was observed the area around the building 10 that has a quadrangle shape. The observation showed that its northern part is cut through by a channel. The monument number 16 displays some uncertainties as the excavations were not concluded in the area. The excavations ended with a sondage in the area S16, where were discovered remains of a road, 6 m long and oriented to the east-west direction.

During this season the excavations were located in the area S18 and S16. In the area S16 were observed two monuments, the altar 16 and the temple 6. Nearby the altar 16 was discovered another altar which was given the number 25. Its pavement was made by fragments of bricks, tiles and stone. Behind the monument was noticed a grave constructed by tiles which was directed toward the road. It was also discovered another grave constructed with stone slabs. As regard to the temple, it seems to have had three phases of construction. In the area S18 were discovered three other graves. Two of them were of capucino type whereas the third one was constructed entirely by tiles. The finds were small in number and consisted mostly by pottery object.

The excavations of this year were located in the area S18, in the southern part of the necropolis area, close by the modern channel. Also, the area to the west of the road was surveyed. The excavation revealed two graves and a stone structures, whose function is yet unknown. The graves were of stone slab construction. The grave goods were represented by pottery vessels and metal objects. A sondage undertaken below the road provided a complete view of the stratigraphy, down to the sterile layer.

The excavations of 2009 marked the 8th archaeological field season undertaken in the southern necropolis of the ancient city of Phoinike. The fieldwork enabled to join the two “historic” sectors, S 5 and S 18, which had been previously divided by a modern concrete channel running east-west. The joining created a unified funerary research area, explored more then 100 m to the north-south direction. The excavations on the modern channel revealed several funeral structures and undisturbed parts of the stratigraphic sequences. It includes structures 66 and 67, both being covered up by an artificial clay layer, which has also been identified in other excavation sectors (US 247), and related to the arrangement of the necropolis during the Augustan age (second half of the 1st century BC). Structure 66, which consists of 4 dry set sandy stone blocks, lined up in a northeast-southwest direction, has no relation with the funerary context of the Hellenistic necropolis. Below it, structure 67 was revealed. It was made up of untied stones, which at their most preserved part formed an arch with radius of 1, 60 m. The excavation within structure 67, which went as far as the sterile layer (level 3, 06), did not reveal any important result. The investigations undertaken north of the modern channel (S 5) identified a major part of the necropolis road (US 248), approximately 6m wide and running north-south. Alongside the road a series of previously excavated monuments were located: temple 6 and buildings 10, 7 and 9 to the east; graves 22, 24 along with 16 and 25 (_semata_) to the west. On the west side of the road section, two funerary monuments of stone blocks constructions of the Hellenistic period were found: monument 63 (at the southern extreme) in the shape of a mega urn, and monument 65 (at the northern extreme point) associated with a chest type grave. At a slightly set back position, about 3 m from the “first row” of the funerary monuments next to the road, a grave (68), centered amidst some other graves (64, 69 and 70), was discovered. All the graves were of chest type and contained urns holding cremated remains. The grave goods found within and around the urns date to the Hellenistic period. While the excavation of grave 62, revealed 3 urns and a rich archaeological material dating to the same period. The excavations at the southern extremity of sector 5 revealed a wall running northeast-southwest. It was 1, 30 m long and 0, 50 wide from which were preserved three horizontal lines of sandy stone blocks bonded with clay. Its direction and construction technique suggest that the wall constitutes the eastern part of grave 38 excavated during the field works of 2003-2004. Investigations at sector S 18, situated south of the modern channel enabled to completely uncover graves (_semata_) 16 and 25 identified during the previous field seasons, along with the extension of the Hellenistic road (at its north-south axis) of the necropolis.