Kubatbek TABALDİYEV

Article | 2006 | Journal of Seismology10 ( 4 )

A paleoseismological study of the medieval Kamenka fortress in the northern part of the Issyk-Kul Lake depression, northern Tien Shan in Kyrgyzstan, revealed an oblique slip thrust fault scarp offsetting the fortification walls. This 700 m long scarp is not related to the 1911 Kebin Earthquake (Ms 8.2) fault scarps which are widespread in the region. As analysis of stratigraphy in a paleoseismic trench and archaeological evidence reveal, it can be assigned to a major twelfth century a.d. earthquake which produced up to 4 m of oblique slip thrusting antithetic to that of the nearby dominant faults. The inferred surface rupturing eart . . .hquake apparently caused the fortress destruction and was likely the primary reason for its abandonment, not the Mongolian–Tatar invasions as previously thought. - Key words: archaeoseismology fault-scarp fortress castle surface fault reverse fault decline Mongol–Tatar invasion Issyk-Kul Lake Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan More less