Open AccessArchaeological sites (Tell and Road) offset by the Dead Sea Fault in the Amik Basin, Southern Turkey
Author(s) -
Altunel Erhan,
Meghraoui Mustapha,
Karabacak Volkan,
Akyüz Serdar H.,
Ferry Matthieu,
Yalçıner Çağlar,
Munschy Marc
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geophysical journal international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.302
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1365-246X
pISSN - 0956-540X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-246x.2009.04388.x
Subject(s) - geology , dead sea , fault (geology) , holocene , seismology , structural basin , seismic hazard , tectonics , paleoseismology , archaeology , paleontology , geography , oceanography
SUMMARY The northern end of the Dead Sea Fault (DSF) in the Amik Basin (Southern Turkey) is investigated using palaeoseismology, archaeoseismology and geophysical prospecting to understand the fault activity during the Holocene. Archaeological sites are largely spread in the area and the fault crosses at least two of them: the ∼5000 BC Tell Sıçantarla and ∼2000 BC ancient road. Detailed field investigations and geophysical surveys of the tell, an ancient road and a Roman wall reveal 42.4 ± 1.5, 25 ± 3.5 and 9 ± 0.5 m cumulative left‐lateral movement along the fault and yield an average 6.07 mm yr −1 slip rate. In addition, palaeoseismic trenching across the fault supports both the exact location of the fault that cut tell and ancient road and recent faulting events related with the 1408 and 1872 large historical earthquakes. This work shows the value of faulted archaeological sites that document past earthquakes and may contribute to a better seismic hazard assessment along the northern DSF.