Publication Date:
2017-04-04
Description:
The archaeological site of Capo d’Orlando, located in NE Sicily was intensively
inhabited during the Roman and Byzantine periods (3rd to the 7th century AD) during
which a bath complex probably associated to a large villa extending seawards was built.
Archaeoseismological research shows that during the Byzantine period (6th -7th century
AD) this complex suffered damage: (1) collapse of the bath, (2) tilting of parallel dry
masonry walls in the same direction, and (3) cracking of the floor in the bath. This damage
might have been produced by a seismic event, where the level of destruction indicates a
strong shaking. The historic record of earthquakes prior to the year 1000 AD is probably
not complete. Actually, only four earthquakes are vaguely reported in the seismic literature
for this time span. This lack of historical reports on seismic events does not necessarily
mean that any earthquakes happened. Archaeoseismic data show that the island was not
quiescent but on the contrary suffered several earthquakes. The analysis presented here,
based on detailed site surveys, deals principally with seismic causes but it also takes into
account other possible causes with regard to the observed damage.
Description:
Published
Description:
55-69
Description:
3.10. Sismologia storica e archeosismologia
Description:
N/A or not JCR
Description:
reserved
Keywords:
archaeoseismology
;
ancient earthquake
;
Capo d’Orlando
;
Sicily
;
04. Solid Earth::04.06. Seismology::04.06.05. Historical seismology
Repository Name:
Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)
Type:
article
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