Résumés Session I

- Session I : Histoire des phénomènes sismiques d’après les sources littéraires, archéologiques et géologiques : pouvoirs politiques, conséquences sociales et économiques (animateur de la session : Giusto Traina, Sorbonne Université)

Borsch Jonas, Universität Tübingen, Empereurs chrétiens, tremblements de terre et la reconfiguration de l’ordre social à Constantinople (V^e et VI^e siècles EC)

Abstract

Pour les sociétés urbaines de l’Antiquité, les tremblements de terre représentent une menace extraordinaire : En conséquence de l’exiguïté des conditions de vie et des moyens relativement limités de prévention structurelle, les villes anciennes étaient particulièrement sensibles aux conséquences physiques des séismes. La menace pouvait atteindre des dimensions telles que la survie d’une ville était en jeu. Les tremblements de terre pouvaient ainsi potentiellement soulever des questions sur l’ordre social traditionnel. Dans ce contexte, ma conférence portera sur la gestion des séismes dans la Constantinople christianisée des V^e et VI^e siècles de notre ère. L’objectif est de montrer que les réactions aux tremblements de terre servaient, tant sur le plan symbolique que pratique, à stabiliser et à adapter progressivement l’ordre social urbaine. Ceci est surtout évident dans le domaine religieux : en fait, les tremblements de terre pouvaient être particulièrement menaçants pour la position individuelle de l’empereur chrétien, car ils remettaient en question son mandat divin. Néanmoins, les réactions des souverains individuels, dont beaucoup nous ont été transmises par des sources sur les pratiques liturgiques contemporaines, ont joué un rôle central dans la stabilisation de l’autorité impériale à la capitale Orientale, car elles étaient la clé pour le développement d’une de ses techniques centrales : celle de l’humilité de l’empereur.

Forlin Paolo, Department of Archaeology, Durham University (UK), Coping with pandemics and seismic disasters in the Middle Ages: the Friuli and Carinthia earthquake of 1348

Abstract

The eastern Alps were affected by a destructive earthquake in January 1348, that is to say immediately before the outbreak of the Black Death in that region. This seismic event represents one of the most severe earthquakes occurred in Europe in the last millennium, with an estimate magnitude of about M=7. The 1348 earthquake caused widespread destruction in the area of Villach (Austria), northern Friuli (Italy) and western Slovenia, triggering devastating landslides and lake tsunamis. In the aftermath of the event, the societies affected had to cope simultaneously with the destruction caused by the earthquake and the impact of the pandemic, which is thought to have killed about one third of the population in these areas.

My paper will provide an overview on the state-of-the-art of the seismic disaster, stressing some aspects relating the perception and interpretation of the events and discussing some controversial issues introduced by the exclusive use of written records and the lack of archaeological research. Drawing on some case studies addressed by the ArMedEa (Archaeology of Medieval Earthquakes) and the RiskRes (Risk and Resilience, Exploring responses to historic earthquakes) projects in Carnia and from Aquileia (Friuli, Italy), I will also discuss the potential of the archeological and architectural information in the understanding of the impact of and reactions to the 1348 earthquake. I will therefore reflect on the collected data in view of a better understanding of the seismic event from a palaeoseismological perspective.

Forlin Paolo¹, Alberto García Porras², Chris Gerrard¹, Ian Bailiff¹, Andrew Millard¹  (power point)

1 – Department of Archaeology, Durham University (UK)

2- Departamento de Historia Medieval y Ciencias y Técnicas Historiográficas, Universidad de Granada

A medieval unrecorded earthquake? The archaeoseismological assessment of El Castillejo, Granada

Abstract

Our poster presents the results of the archaeological investigations which, in 2018, targeted the site of El Castillejo, a fortified Islamic settlement located about 40 km south of Granada. Adopting an archaeological approach combining buildings archaeology, excavation, radiocarbon dating, OSL and Bayesian statistics, our archaeological project identified and dated a seismic event which affected the site during the late Middle Ages. The results point out that this earthquake is an event not recorded by contemporary Spanish and European seismic catalogues.

This work was funded by the British Academy and a Marie Curie action and aimed at building a feasible and easily replicable methodology for the seismological study of an archaeological site. It was also designed in order to contribute to the assessment of the local seismic hazard. The paper, therefore, will offer the opportunity to discuss and explore the potential of archaeology in risk assessment and risk communication with a multidisciplinary audience of palaeo and historic seismologists, geologists and disaster risk reduction practitioners.

Garofalo Paolo, Université de Lisbonne, Lotta politica e terremoto: Cicerone, Clodio e gli eventi prodigiosi del 56 a.C.

Abstract

Il contributo intende indagare in una prospettiva storica alcuni aspetti della sismicità dei Colli Albani (Latium vetus) in età romana, con particolare riferimento a uno specifico episodio, la cui portata fu tale da imporsi all’attenzione degli àuguri: nel 56 a.C., infatti, i Colli Albani furono scossi da un potente fremitus accompagnato verosimilmente da un terremoto. Questo prodigium assunse un ruolo significativo sullo sfondo delle gravi tensioni politiche che caratterizzarono gli anni centrali del I sec. a.C. e, segnatamente, nella violenta contrapposizione tra Cicerone, Milone e Clodio. L’analisi di queste vicende consente di riflettere da un lato sulle labili tracce dell’attività sismica nei Colli Albani in età antica e dall’altro sull’incidenza e sull’uso strumentale delle manifestazioni naturali/prodigiose nell’ambito dell’agone politico della tarda età repubblicana.

Martín Casado Juan Manuel, University of Málaga, A Possible Earthquake in the Roman phase of Los Castillejos de Teba settlement (Málaga, Spain) : notes on ancient seismicity in the Provincia Baetica(power-point)

Abstract

The archaeological position of Los Castillejos de Teba (Malaga, Spain) is one of the most prominent archaeological places in the high basin of the Guadalhorce river. Its optimum strategical conditions, with easy control of the regional roads and availability of natural resources, in addition to their defensive capacity, has impelled the human settlement since the Bronze Age to the end of the first century A.D.

Recent archaeological excavations accomplished between April and May 2019 found important signs of destruction in the second half of the century I A.D., such as evidence of a great fire, the partial tumble of a Wall and displacement of others or collapse of roofs, due to an intense, destructive episode wich coincide with the final declination of the settlement. In addition, several signs, such as the reinforcement of structures by using buttress, can be assumed that earthquakes were not unknown by the inhabitants of Los Castillejos.

As a possible elucidation, we appoint, through the archaeological evidence, that a seismic shock was the cause of the final abandonment of the settlement, in connection with the targets of a part of the local oligarchy to reorganize the zone. Despite the lack of studies of historical and instrumental seismology in this area, the possibility that an earthquake had damaged the settlement triggering their abandonment, when his old functions were lost, emerge by now as the main possibility. Such a process would surely be a valuable example of how local communities and their authorities were able to react against a sudden catastrophic event. Furthermore, it would enrich the explanation about the abandonment of the old settlement, in benefit of the recently founded oppidum ignotum of Cortijo del Tajo.

This is part of a bigger theoretical framework, for which natural disasters work as external shocks that feedback other political, economic or social factors, increasing declination process.

Nunn Patrick & Kumar Roselyn, University of the Sunshine Coast (Australia), The role of earthquakes in changing patterns of Europe-India trade along the Malabar coast (Kerala, India) in the 14-16^th centuries

Abstract

Following the visit of Vasco da Gama to the Zamorin of Calicut in May 1498, European trade with Malabar (India) increased sharply, leading eventually to the British annexation of India in 1874.  During the 14-16^th centuries in particular, Europe-India commerce depended on ships being able to reach Malabar ports like Calicut (now Kozhikode), Cochin (now Kochi) and Muziris.  The location of the latter is uncertain for, even though its presence was routinely documented up until the year AD 1341, after that it disappears from history; in particular, it failed to be mentioned by the travellers Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo who visited the area shortly after this time.

The disappearance of Muziris is commonly explained by a great flood of the Periyar River but this seems implausible for several reasons, not least the contemporaneous appearance of a low elongate coastal island (Vypin Island).  This island blocked the mouth of the Periyar but opened sea access to Cochin which then became favoured by European traders.  Since Vypin Island still exists, it is unlikely to have been formed (solely) by a river flood.  More likely, this ‘flood’ was tsunamigenic – an earthquake raising part of the coast to form Vypin Island and possibly also dropping that part of the coast where Muziris stood.  Seismo-tectonic changes may also explain the (abrupt) subsidence of the old part of Calicut by AD 1703.