Post-quarry features consisted of a thick fill of mostly terra rossa, often laid on and mixed with lime fieldstones, which evidenced the transformation of the area into agricultural fields. A single-course wall of fieldstones, located high above bedrock (Elevation 764.29–764.08 m), was built between the edges of the southwestern and southeastern sections of quarried bedrock, with a gap of robbed stones (W2003, W2004; Fig. 9). It was strengthen by smaller fieldstones, especially along W2004. Its course and the fact that its two last stones to the east rested on the quarried bedrock show that the top of quarried bedrock was visible during the agricultural activities and may even have contributed to defining limits of field plots. Wall 2003/2004 may be understood as a terrace wall or a partition between two plots.
Two coins and only fifty-one small potsherds, mostly of local production, were recovered from the excavation. Most were not related to any of the excavated features, yet provided dating for the human activities at the site.
The earliest finds, which consisted of three bowls (Fig. 10:1–3), two jars (Fig. 10:4, 5) and two bases of bottles (Fig. 10:6, 7), indicate that the quarry was in use in the late Hasmonean and Herodian periods, down to the late first century CE. As no finds earlier than these were detected, it may be surmised that the quarrying activities were initiated in that period at the site.
Only three sherds, including two jars (Fig. 10:8, 9) and a basin (Fig. 10:10) may doubtfully be dated to the second–early third centuries CE, when Aelia Capitolina was founded. Hence, a gap is suggested in the occupation of the area during this period. The probable abandonment of the site may have been due to either the end of the Herodian building works, or the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 70 CE. In the latter case, the stones found at the site may have been intented for the building of the ‘Third Wall’.
It seems that in the wake of organizing the life and supply of the city, re-founded by Hadrian, the area may have been converted into a vast agricultural zone, which may have been part of granting land to veteran Roman soldiers, sometime in the third–fourth centuries CE. The potsherds from this period included six bowls (Fig. 10:11–16), two basins (Fig. 10:17, 18) and a jar (Fig. 10:19). The agricultural activities continued until the end of the Byzantine period, as seen by two bowls (Fig. 10:20, 21), an imported LRRS bowl (Fig. 10:22) and a basin (Fig. 10:23) and maybe into the beginning of the Early Islamic period, which is represented by two potsherds, a bowl (Fig. 10:24) and a jar (Fig. 10:25).
The relatively limited excavation contributes to the well-known picture of the Sanhedriyya neighborhood as an area of quarries during the Second Temple period, which was converted into a zone of agricultural fields in the Late Roman period and exploited until the Early Islamic period.
A better understanding of the destination of the extracted stones could be gained by comparing their sizes and stone qualities with those of monuments still standing in the city of Jerusalem, e.g., the Temple Mount and the ‘Third Wall’.