Excavations beneath Wilson’s Arch, beside the western plaza of the Temple Mount, revealed damage to a supporting pier built during the expansion of the Second Temple. According to Onn et al. (2011), collapsed drafted-margin stones lay at the pier’s base, consistent with seismic failure. Construction immediately after the collapse shows that the structure was repaired, suggesting a significant damaging event affecting a key component of the Herodian access system.

Radiocarbon analysis by Regev et al. (2020) indicates that the northern pier dates to 20 BCE– 20 CE, while the southern pier and associated drains date to 30–60 CE. This places the collapse between the two construction episodes and identifies the southern pier as part of a repair expansion. The use of radiocarbon dating thus supports correlation with the Jerusalem Quake (31 CE ± 5). Subsequent additions, including ritual baths in the vaulted spaces of the arch system, further confirm renewed post-damage building activity beneath this part of the Temple complex.