Destructive Intraplate Earthquakes in Arabia—The Archaeoseismological Evidence

The Arabian Plate is surrounded by seismically highly active margins, while the plate interior is seemingly aseismic. To add unknown events to the historical catalogue, new archaeoseismological studies of seven intraplate sites are presented here. We surveyed buildings seeking evidence for seismic damage, assigned intensity values, and dated destruction events based on building stratigraphy and historical sources. Umm al-Jimal (Jordan), Palmyra, Resafa and Halabiyya (Syria), Hatra (Iraq), Julfar (United Arab Emirates), and Qalhat (Oman) are each 70–300 km from the nearest plate margin. Earthquakes of intensity VII–XI occurred there during the second to sixteenth century. Remnants of ruined buildings were often preserved due to abandonment caused by warfare and climate change.