1139 Ganja earthquake

Coordinates: 40°18′N 46°12′E / 40.3°N 46.2°E / 40.3; 46.2
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
1139 Ganja earthquake
1139 Ganja earthquake is located in Azerbaijan
1139 Ganja earthquake
Local date30 September 1139 (1139-09-30)[1]
Magnitude7.7 MLH, 7.5 Ms, 7.0–7.3 Mw
Depth23–16 km (14.3–9.9 mi)
Epicenter40°18′N 46°12′E / 40.3°N 46.2°E / 40.3; 46.2[2]
Areas affectedSeljuk Empire (present-day Azerbaijan)
Max. intensityMMI IX (Violent) or MMI XI (Extreme)
Casualties230,000–300,000 dead (.est)

The 1139 Ganja earthquake was one of the worst seismic events in history. It affected the Seljuk Empire and Kingdom of Georgia; modern-day Azerbaijan and Georgia. The earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.7 MLH, 7.5 Ms and 7.0–7.3 Mw. A controversial death toll of 230,000–300,000 came as a consequence of this event.[3]

Tectonic setting

Map of the Eurasia-African-Arabian-Indian convergent zone.

Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia are located in an area of high seismic activity as both countries are situated in the collision zone between the Eurasian and Arabian Plates. The collision zone consists of an accreted island arc that collided after the closure of the Tethys Ocean, continental blocks, and sediments from the Mesozoic and Tertiary eras. The area is separated into three geographical regions; Lesser Caucasus, Kura Basin and Greater Caucasus. Seismic activity in the Lesser Caucasus is typically associated with strike-slip faults with vertical dip angles. In the Greater Caucasus, seismic activity correspond to thrust faulting. Extending 100–160 km (62–99 mi) beneath the Greater Caucasus is the remnant of a subducted tectonic plate after the ocean closed.[4] Earthquakes are caused by crustal compression and shear as the two tectonic plates interact.[5]

Earthquake

The earthquake had an estimated

Mercalli intensity scale was assigned.[8] It was also perceived as far as Aleppo where the felt intensity was II (Weak).[9]

An epicenter location at 40°18′N 46°12′E / 40.3°N 46.2°E / 40.3; 46.2, near Ganja, was suggested by researchers. This region of the Lesser Caucasus is dominated by oblique and strike-slip tectonics. The fault responsible for the earthquake, the Pambak-Sevan-Syunik Fault, is a 490-kilometer-long WNW–ESE striking strike-slip fault. For the majority of its length, it demonstrates right-lateral displacement, but at the westernmost segment, its slip sense is left-lateral. The earthquake ruptured the Mrav segment of the fault at its eastern end. Unlike the rest of the Pambak-Sevan-Syunik Fault, the Mrav segment is characterized by a series of north-dipping thrust faults.[10] Paleoseismology in the region indicate large earthquakes of up to Mw  7.5 have occurred on the fault.[11] The Pambak-Sevan-Syunik Fault was also responsible for an earthquake in 1931.[10]

Damage

The Gates of Ganja at the Gelati Monastery

Maral-gol and Lake Ağgöl.[15]

The number of people who died in the mountains is not known, described as "incalculable".[13] Estimates of the death toll range between 230,000 and 300,000 making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in history.[9] Among the dead were two sons of then ruler of the Seljuk Empire, Qara Sonqor.[16] The death toll figure remains controversial with some authors stating it is an exaggeration considering the population of the area at the time of the disaster.[17] Others argued that this was a conflation of information about the 1138 Aleppo and 1137 Jazira earthquakes.[1]

Aftermath

King Demetrius I of Georgia took advantage of the earthquake and looted the city. Troops stole many artifacts and prized items from the city, including the Ancient Gates of Ganja which was utilized as a trophy.[18][19] The city was reconstructed by Qara Sonqor, where it began to flourish.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ambraseys, N. (2004), "The 12th century seismic paroxysm in the Middle East: a historical perspective" (PDF), Annals of Geophysics, 47 (2–3), Istituto Nazionale Geofisica e Vulcanologia: 743
  2. ^ a b Ulomov, V.I.; Medvedeva, N.S. (2014). "Специализированный каталог землетрясений для задач общего сейсмического районирования территории Российской Федерации" [Specialized catalog of earthquakes for the purpose of general seismic zoning of the territory of the Russian Federation] (PDF). O.Y. Smidt Institute of Physics of the Earth, Russian Academy of Sciences.
  3. ^ "Most Destructive Known Earthquakes on Record in the World". Earthquake.usgs.gov. Archived from the original on 2009-09-01. Retrieved 2022-04-22.
  4. S2CID 219925399
    .
  5. ^ Bochud, Martin (2011-10-25). Tectonics of the Eastern Greater Caucasus in Azerbaijan (PDF) (Dr. rer. nat. thesis). Switzerland: University of Fribourg.
  6. ISBN 978-90-481-8702-7
    . Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  7. S2CID 210621325
    .
  8. doi:10.6092/ingv.it-cfti5
    . Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  9. ^
    doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K
    . Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  10. ^
    hdl:1854/LU-8655179
    .
  11. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.05.021
    .
  12. ISBN 9780444632920
    .
  13. ^ a b Mkhitar Gosh's Colophon (PDF). Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  14. S2CID 210621325
    .
  15. ^ "History of Ganja". ganca.net. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  16. ^ Ибн ал-Асир. Тарих-ал-камиль. О победе султана Махмуда над курджами. Перевод П. К. Жузе. Текст воспроизведен по изданию: Материалы по истории Азербайджана из Тарих-ал-камиль (полного свода истории) Ибн-ал-Асира. Баку. АзФан. 1940.
  17. ^ Guidoboni, Emanuela; Comastri, Alberto (2005). Catalogue of earthquakes and tsunamis in the Mediterranean area from the 11th to the 15th century. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (Roma).
  18. ^ "Распахнутся снова ворота Гянджи". Trend.Az (in Russian). 6 April 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Гянджинские ворота". kataloq.gomap.az (in Russian). Archived from the original on 30 September 2022. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  20. ^ Edmund Bosworth (2000), Ganja (Fascicle), vol. X, Encyclopædia Iranica, pp. 282–283, retrieved 4 March 2022
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