Crimean destructive earthquake of the second part of the XV c.

D.A. Moisieiev1, A.M. Korzhenkov2, A.N. Ovsyuchenko2, A.S. Larkov2

1 Bakhchysarai preserve, Bakhchysarai, Russia

2 Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

Corresponding author: D.A. Moisieiev, e-mail: ohota_d@ukr.net

Abstract. The article describes 4 Crimean archeological monuments with traces of specific deformations in their building structures. A detailed analysis of these structures made it possible to establish that in the medieval period they were subjected to seismic effects: such deformations were revealed as interblock cracks, cracks in the windows and window sills, reversal of wall parts clockwise or against it, roll up on a slope, deformation (short-term opening) arch structure, etc. Archaeological and historical analysis allowed us chronologically to stratify these seismogenic deformations and to identify and date several medieval earthquakes. Traces of one of them (the second half of the XV century) were found on three monuments: the tile production center in Ilka, Mangup fortress and Chorgun tower. Maximum seismic oscillations that caused damage to the tile production center in Ilka, the Chorgun tower and the palace of the rulers of Theodoro in 1425, apparently originated from the West Crimean seismogenic zone capable of causing earthquakes with M ≥ 6.5, and date to the second half of the XV century. Previously, this earthquake was known only from one historical source and did not cause much confidence among researchers. But the discovery and description of seismogenic deformations of the Funa fortress in 1423 made it possible to prove the presence of another major seismic event in the Crimea in the second half of the 15th century in addition to the well-known earthquake of 1423.

Keywords: Ilka tile production kiln, Funa fortress, Feodoro, Mangup, palace of 1425, Chorgun tower, Crimea, medieval earthquakes, seismic deformations, kinematic indicators

About the authors

MOISEIEV Dmitri Anatolievich – Head of the Archaeology and “Cave towns” museum of the Bakhchysarai preserve. Crimea Republic, Bakhchysarai, Rechnaya ul., 133. E-mail: ohota_d@ukr.net

KORZHENKOV Andrey Mikhailovich − Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Head of Laboratory of Paleoseismology and Paleogeodynamics, Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 123242, Moscow, ul. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 10, building 1. E-mail: korzhenkov@ifz.ru

OVSYUCHENKO Alexander Nikolaevich − Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Head of Laboratory of the Seismotectonic and Seismic microzonation, Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 123242, Moscow, ul. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 10, building 1. E-mail: ovs@ifz.ru

LARKOV Alexander Sergeevich – Research Fellow, Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 123242, Moscow, ul. Bolshaya Gruzinskaya, 10, building 1. E-mail: las119@yandex.ru

Cite this article as: Moisieiev D.A., Korzhenkov A.M., Ovsyuchenko A.N., Larkov A.S. Crimean destructive earthquake of the second part of the XV c., Voprosy Inzhenernoi Seismologii (Problems of Engineering Seismology). 2019. V. 46, No. 2. P. 37–53. [in Russian]. https://doi.org/10.21455/VIS2019.2-4

English translation of the article will be published in Seismic Instruments, ISSN: 0747-9239 (Print) 1934-7871 (Online), https://link.springer.com/journal/11990