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Normal fault displacement dislocating a Roman aqueduct of Ephesos, western Turkey
Author(s) -
Passchier Cees W.,
Wiplinger Gilbert,
Güngör Talip,
Kessener Paul,
Sürmelihindi Gül
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1111/ter.12035
Subject(s) - geology , aqueduct , fault (geology) , channel (broadcasting) , seismology , turkish , displacement (psychology) , seismic hazard , archaeology , geography , engineering , telecommunications , psychology , linguistics , philosophy , psychotherapist
A 38‐km‐long ancient aqueduct channel that served R oman E phesos, T urkey was dislocated vertically over 3 m by a single seismic event on a normal fault. A new channel was constructed downstream from the fault in Roman times, next to and partly on top of the original channel. Archaeological investigations and study of carbonate deposits suggest a causative seismic event in the second half of the second century CE , probably in 178 CE , after the original channel had functioned for <35 years. The İçme Tepe fault was identified as responsible for the displacement and may still constitute a seismic and tsunami hazard for the Turkish west coast, specifically for the city of Kuşadası. Ancient aqueducts, of which more than 1400 are presently known, are a promising and almost untapped archive for archaeoseismic studies, especially in the Mediterranean area.