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Archaeoseismology and Palaeoseismology in the Alpine ... - Tierra

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The tumulus <strong>in</strong>itial morphology showed signs of grave<br />

robb<strong>in</strong>g, as well as of irregular topographical anomalies<br />

aligned <strong>in</strong> an E‐W direction. Photographs of <strong>the</strong> tumulus<br />

before <strong>the</strong> excavation site, as well as large scale<br />

topographic maps of <strong>the</strong> site prepared by <strong>the</strong><br />

Archaeological Survey, confirm that <strong>the</strong>se small<br />

depressions are <strong>in</strong>deed aligned <strong>in</strong> an E‐W direction (Fig.<br />

3).<br />

Apart from <strong>the</strong> human rema<strong>in</strong>s <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> offer<strong>in</strong>gs, which<br />

<strong>in</strong>clude horses, carriages <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir equipment, two brick‐<br />

built altars serv<strong>in</strong>g as platforms for offer<strong>in</strong>gs to <strong>the</strong> dead<br />

were found. One of <strong>the</strong>m (site DOX 2‐1) has been found<br />

to be heavily deformed by a system of normal faults,<br />

which clearly affect <strong>the</strong> ground surface of 2 nd Century AD<br />

(Figs. 4 <strong>and</strong> 5).<br />

Fig. 4: One of <strong>the</strong> brick altars that has been faulted <strong>and</strong> displaced<br />

This system is comprised by several roughly E‐W trend<strong>in</strong>g<br />

normal faults, which form a fairly large depression at <strong>the</strong><br />

altar site. The maximum observable throw of <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> S‐<br />

dipp<strong>in</strong>g surface is 1.9 m, but tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>to account <strong>the</strong><br />

secondary features <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> total displacement of <strong>the</strong> N‐<br />

1 st INQUA‐IGCP‐567 International Workshop on Earthquake Archaeology <strong>and</strong> <strong>Palaeoseismology</strong><br />

21<br />

dipp<strong>in</strong>g anti<strong>the</strong>tic faults, <strong>the</strong> total net displacement is<br />

estimated at ca. 0.9 m. This displacement, which is<br />

attributed to an earthquake post‐dat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> date of altar,<br />

is well visible <strong>in</strong> site DOX 2‐2 (Fig. 6). The fault system<br />

affects <strong>the</strong> Neogene substratum (marls <strong>and</strong> f<strong>in</strong>e‐gra<strong>in</strong>ed<br />

s<strong>and</strong>s) as well as <strong>the</strong> artificial deposits that formed <strong>the</strong><br />

tumulus.<br />

Fig. 5: The actual cracks that were preserved due to <strong>the</strong> artificial<br />

cover of <strong>the</strong> tumulus<br />

These deposits were removed dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> archaeological<br />

excavation; hence no direct association to <strong>the</strong> fault<strong>in</strong>g is<br />

possible at this stage.<br />

Secondary fault<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> jo<strong>in</strong>t<strong>in</strong>g, also affect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Roman<br />

ground surface, has been detected <strong>in</strong> several o<strong>the</strong>r sites<br />

<strong>in</strong> various parts of <strong>the</strong> excavation.<br />

Fig. 6: Log of DOX 2‐2 trench, where <strong>the</strong> maximum net displacement of 90 cm is observed. The fault zone has a width of ca. 2 m <strong>and</strong> it is<br />

attributed to a large, ground ruptur<strong>in</strong>g earthquake that postdates 2 nd Century AD.

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